Something is Seriously Wrong in this School
by DreamWings231
Summary: One day Ayano kills Midori, the next day she's alive with no memory of ever getting killed. At first, Ayano thought that the worse thing she could stumble into is Kokona's bad life choices or finding another rival that wants Senpai but no. There just happens to be weird occult magic and insane science projects and secret government agencies that end up in Ayano's life as well.
1. Replay Value

START OF WEEK ONE

It is Monday after school when Ayano Aishi kills Midori Gurin.

There were little to no students left on campus to hear Midori's struggling and screaming. Ayano easily lured Midori to the back of the school where she tackled Midori to the ground and began stabbing her repeatedly. Even when the light faded away from Midori's eyes or when her body stopped thrashing in pain, Ayano kept stabbing her with a knife, grinning.

She deserves this, Ayano thinks, she was getting too close to Taro Yamada, smiling at him and being absolutely undeserving of having Ayano's senpai smile back. Midori was getting in her way. She is one of the many problems of Ayano's life but after this, Midori is now a mere nuisance that's easy to get rid of.

Ayano began to calm down, realizing that she was cackling a little too loud. She couldn't help herself, Senpai was on her mind. This is all for Taro, each stab into Midori's chest represented her love and devotion for him.

Just thinking of his brilliant smile sent a fluttering and bubbling feeling to Ayano's heart. These benevolent emotions have never appeared in her life before she met Taro Yamada and she will do anything to have that ache in her heart.

It is unexplainable to Ayano and it is best described as an ache or a weight on her chest. She feels warm and shaky and overwhelmed with emotions she thought she is not capable to have. And it is all caused from one boy.

Ayano doesn't understand it but this ache she feels, it hurts her, oddly enough. That ache she feels constricting, grasping at her lungs and bring shockwaves to her heart.

She should like these emotions right? It is emotions that make a person human, so in theory, that means that Ayano Aishi is human, correct?

Then why do these emotions hurt her?

It feels like she can't breathe around Taro and when she sees him with another girl it feels like there's fire crawling on her skin. It is frustrating and the only conclusion that Ayano has reached is that Taro, her senpai, is hers.

This _love_ that the media, her classmates, and society speak of, it is senpai. Taro is her love and she needs him to feel these emotions. He is the first and only person she has met that brings these emotions and no one is going to take this away from her.

She will make sure of it. Taro Yamada will be all hers and no one will get in her way, no one. The girls of her school will not take Taro away from her and she is willing to do anything to make them go away.

These girls, these rivals, will be gone or dead like Midori Gurin.

That statement was Ayano's last thought of the day, bringing a satisfied smile to her face as she went to bed and dream about Taro. The satisfaction didn't last that long because she saw her at the school gates.

Ayano saw Midori, alive and well, walking out the school gates the next morning. She even waved happily at Ayano like she didn't spend last afternoon stabbing her body and tossing it into the school's furnace.

"What the fuck," Ayano said.

"Young lady watch your tongue," scolded the gym teacher as she closed up the school gate, "And you better start heading inside."

The student did just that, still shocked to her core on seeing Midori. As Ayano quickly swapped shoes in the locker room, she eyed Midori. She was acting like nothing bloody or stabbing related ever happened. It was maddeningly making no sense to Ayano. It was as if life is fucking with her and right now she is so damn confused. Ayano spent all morning to lunch staring at Midori, confused and possibly having her brain shut down from shock.

What god would bring back Midori?

The next thought slammed into Ayano like a freight train.

God, a god, what god or deity in their right mind would do this? She's not one to be entertained by the idea of powerful, celestial beings but if a person is desperate enough, something human or inhuman can happen. Ayano would not get an answer, that's damn certain, but there is someone who could get an explanation.

Oka Ruto, the Occult Club President, was all alone in her club room when Ayano walked in. She closed the door for good measure, if Ayano snaps in some way everyone will be minding their business during lunch and not pay attention to her carrying Oka's corpse. But that might be unnecessary by how Oka fidgeted when she saw her enter.

She was so very quiet and meek, surely not a threat to Ayano.

"Oh, hello, are you interested in the occult?" Oka thumbed the book in her hands, obviously nervous, likely wary of her.

Ayano didn't pay too much thought to her behavior, after all, her mind is still a little fried but recovering. "I have a question. Have you ever noticed something odd or strange about Midori Gurin?"

"Midori, she's the one with green hair. I don't see her often so I wouldn't really notice if something strange is directly from her. You must think there's something supernatural around her if you're here." She again brushed her thumb against the book pages, now having a calmer statue, "How exactly would you define her strangeness?"

"I do not have any knowledge of the occult. I just know there's something wrong with her," Ayano pressed on, "I couldn't make any sense on how strange it is to see her this morning but I know there is something wrong with her and it is messing with my head."

And also it was messing with Ayano's heart. It felt like the opposite of what she felt for Taro, something clearly defined as annoyance and hatred but there was something else too. That unknown feeling didn't matter to Ayano; it was too heavily dominated by the feeling of hatred for her to dwell on it.

"Perhaps she has casted a hex on you," Oka thought. "This is very interesting."

Ayano was about to give into frustration and do something to let out tension, like scream about how impossible it is for Midori to come back to life but then her phone pinged with a new message. A quick glance at the screen had Ayano cool herself down, "That's all I had to say Oka, bye."

Oka didn't get the chance to say anything more when Ayano shut the door on her way out. The occult leader opened her book, one with the knowledge of demons and dark gods, and muttered, "Midori Gurin, there might be something."

Back in the empty hall, Ayano walked to one of the empty classrooms to text the infamous Info-chan. The text she sent read, _"Sorry I'm late. I got the information you wanted."_

Ayano huff a short breath, she almost forgot about it. Ever since school started, Ayano began making deals with Info to find out which girls can be considered as her rivals. Yesterday, she gave Info a dozen of panty shots in exchange for immediate warnings that Ayano would need.

"This is the first time you're late. You usually get me information at least a couple hours after I pay you."

 _"And this is the first time you ever messaged me about something not related to Taro Yamada."_

"I am not paying to you irritate me," she texted back.

 _"No but you do pay me to keep you company. You are, at best, my most frequent costumer."_

"Information. Now."

 _"Osana Najimi is planning to confess her feelings to Taro Yamada on Friday after school, at the lone tree in the sports field. I assume you know the myth about that cherry blossom tree."_

Well then, another nuisance to get rid of but now Ayano is not feeling over confident like last time. Midori was a quick and easy kill but then she came back alive the next day. Ayano is almost tempted to kill Osana right away but she knows that her brain can't handle another mind freak out this week. She has to plan out this carefully and she needs to make sure that no surprise resurrection will happen again.

Hell, Ayano isn't even sure if Midori is pretending to not know about the murder. Midori might try to expose her as a killer to the school or worse, she'll tell senpai and he won't love her. There is just no clear explanation on how Midori revived but Ayano just knows that she's alive and she might plan something against Ayano.

"Info-chan, I don't think that twelve pantie shots are worth this."

 _"Excuse me? You are walking a very dangerous line there Ayano, I can tell you're just fishing for more information."_

"How about I ask you an easy question, one where you won't be late to answer."

There was a pause before Info replied, _"Fine, ask away."_

"What secrets does Midori Gurin have?"

This time, the pause was longer enough to make Ayano feel uneasy, just a bit. Info texted back, _"I will tell you this, only because your last payment will cover it and also because you're my favorite customer."_

"How cute, you're going soft on me."

 _"Here is all that I am able tell you,"_ she ignored, _"Midori Gurin has a crush on no one, obsessed with an indie game and frequently talks to that game developer, and Oka has recently began stalking her."_

"How recently?" Ayano quickly asks.

 _"Oka is now on the roof spying on the Basu sisters and now also Midori as of today."_

It is not surprising to Ayano that Info quickly noticed Oka's change in schedule, in a couple of minutes no less, but the way she worded it was odd. All that she was _able_ to tell, Info has never typed something like that before.

Her messages are always direct regarding a person's secrets, that she will always have a hold on those secrets. Info does withhold crucial details and secrets of all the students of Akademi High so it makes sense that there's something that she's not telling Ayano but something feels strange. She has the suspension that there are some mind games being played and Info is hinting Ayano to join.

Ayano is almost hesitant to blatantly ask Info if she knows about Midori's resurrection. Last time Ayano killed someone, Info knew it. This time, Info gave no hint or snarky comment of the murder. Never has Info blackmailed Ayano but that always weighted on her mind throughout their partnership. Instead Info is giving the implication that there are more secrets of Midori.

She asks, "Is this information that you want me to know or information that someone else wants me to know?"

Info doesn't answer.

Lunch ends and she still hasn't answer.

The tight feeling in Ayano's gut grows with the silence.

She just had to ask didn't she?

Paranoid was crawling on her back and nothing made any sense ever since Midori came walking alive today. For the rest of the day, any time Ayano sees Midori she anticipating the moment where the green dead girl announces to the school that Ayano stabbed her and threw her into the furnace.

But no?

Midori is carrying on? Like she wasn't stabbed and thrown into a furnace? _Like it never happened?_

But Ayano knows she did it ( _right?)_ There was blood on her hands, there was the feeling and the rush of plunging the knife into squishy guts and that was real. It was real because she did it and she knows she did it.

And yet Midori walks. (Well, actually, she's skipping in the halls, but that's beside the point)

Ayano's mind is kind of fucked with, her already broken mind state is broken a little bit more, and she didn't know that was possible.

Info was her only hope of getting a semblance of stability while Oka was a desperate attempt for an explanation. Both ends just frustrate her.

When school ended Info still hasn't answer, Midori is alive when she should be dead, and Ayano just tries to clear her head by stalking Senpai home. Maybe dreaming of Taro would make things better.

* * *

 _Thanks for reading!_

 _Edits: Sup I'm editing chapters. I fixed some minor stuff for this chapter. On writing this story I've made it a habit on capitalizing the Club President titles so I'm editing that stuff in the previous chapters._

 _Next Chapter: Try Again_


	2. Try Again

It is Wednesday and Ayano is done.

The ominous text messages from Info and Midori's return from the dead were not a good combination for Ayano. She has a life to get through. Homework and romance is one thing but this supernatural nonsense and cryptic double meaning words is on a level of bullshit that Ayano does not want to deal with today.

Today is all about Taro. Correction, every day of Ayano's life is about him but today is when she finds a way to get rid of Osana Najimi, his childhood friend that is so whiny and dares insults him.

Yeah, she needs to go. And yet Ayano feels a little too worrisome that if she kills Osana, she might come back to life and tell Taro every bloody detail about Ayano. Maybe she's being a little too paranoid.

No, Ayano doesn't want to risk that. She'll take a resurrected, dumb Midori over loud, zombie Osana.

And so Ayano can be seen watching intently at Taro and Osana walking to school together.

"You always keep me waiting," Osana loudly complained.

"I'm sorry, Hanako and I were trying to cook breakfast today and well," Taro scratched his cheek with a quirky smile.

Osana huffed, "I can imagine a million things that have gone wrong. You big dumbie, we both know that you have no experience in cooking. Seriously, you should know better than to start a fire this early in the morning."

"First off there was no fire." Osana gave him an unconvinced look. "Alright, not a particularly big fire but no one got hurt. I just thought that maybe I could make a breakfast for the both of us. I want to be a good older brother."

At his genuine smile, Osana rolled her eyes and reassured, "You're doing fine Taro, honestly it's like you're trying a little too hard."

He shrugged and said softer, "Thanks. I just hope that maybe one day I'll be able to cook up a meal for us to share."

Taro didn't notice Osana falling out of step with him, nor her red cheeks as she stride next to him, "That will be a day in the far, far future. It'll be faster if I just made lunch for us."

"That sounds wonderful!"

A laugh choked out of a blushing Osana, "Of course it'll be wonderful, better than anything that you dare even call a cooked meal." At Taro's quick grimace and frown, she rephrased, "I didn't it like that. I just wanted to compare your lack of skills to um, not that you're not skillful." To stop herself from rambling she used her best way to stop a conversation, "Just forget it!"

By the time they finished up in the shoe locker room, Ayano swallowed down the bile in her throat and stopped the urge to stab Osana repeatedly. Just like what she did to Midori. Only this time Osana wouldn't come back to life unlike Midori.

Ayano groaned. She just wanted one day of peace and Senpai, simple as that. But unfortunately not today, it's time to investigate Osana to destroy her life.

By lunch time, Ayano has gotten a few ideas on what to do. She didn't have any more pantie shots for Info-chan (and also she has been ignoring all of Ayano's messages), so Ayano went to the next best persons for information – the Social Butterflies.

They feed off of gossip and favors, acting all friendly and nice when they would throw another girl under the bus for their own benefit. TV shows and movies give off the impression that popularity is a cruel competition so some semblance of fiction must be based of reality (or at least that's how Ayano thinks that's how it goes).

Ayano is not a person known for talking. Hell, the person she communicates with the most is an anonymous whose currency is perverted photos. So aside from Info, Ayano gets second hand information of rumors and observation on the students of her school. Socializing was never something that seemed useful to Ayano so she doesn't bother talking to her fellow classmates. Also it made no sense to her.

She's fine on her own without friends or family. Then she met Taro Yamada and she was no longer fine, she was _never_ fine, desperate to have him. And to have him, she needed to do all the things she has never done and more. Like murdering and stalking and talking to people.

The killing doesn't really bother Ayano, she's learn enough on how to get away from consequences after murdering that one blonde pigtailed girl, always standing by a tree, and had an obvious crush on Senpai. But since Midori for some forsaken reason came back to life, Ayano feels like she should be on edge, especially after Info going off grind on her.

Just carry on, Ayano thinks, one problem at a time and right now it is sabotaging Osana's relationship with Senpai. Her best bet on getting dirt on Osana is by befriending the one Social Butterfly that has talked to her.

Kokona Haruka is a pretty simple character to Ayano. Purple hair, twin drills, and she's in the Cooking Club. That's pretty much all the information that Ayano has on her without Info-chan's help. There's also the fact that Kokona can be unbearably friendly to practically everyone, Ayano included.

The girl isn't much of a pest like one of Ayano's rivals, her company can be quite pleasant but Ayano can't help but feel awkward whenever Kokona starts talking to her. Idle and mindless chatter, yes she can handle, but talking about her interests? Ayano can't just say that her hobbies is all about stalking Taro and gutting down anyone who displays an interest in him.

But back to the task at hand which is helping out Kokona. Currently it is getting her a new uniform that fits her and her... top heaviness. Hmm, Ayano never wonder what the perks and struggles it is to have large boobs.

Regardless, Ayano was able to get Kokona a modified uniform and in return Ayano got some news.

"This fits much better," Kokona happily giggled, smoothing down her new shirt. She had walked out of the girls' restroom wearing the new uniform with her old one folded over her arm. "Thanks again Ayano, I guess I don't need this anymore," she says, tossing the old uniform into the nearest trashcan. "I didn't know you could sew. Maybe you should join the Theater Club. I bet you'd be great help with the costumes."

"No, I rather avoid that club leader," Ayano said.

Kokona grimaced and gave an awkward laugh, "Yeah, I get that. Oh you should join me and Saki for lunch today!"

"Sure," Ayano nodded, "By the way, I noticed Osana talking to you between classes. I didn't know you two were close."

"We're not," she shrugged as they began walking back to the main courtyard. "She asked if the cooking clubroom was free for other students. I'm guessing that she's planning to cook something. When I asked what she got real defensive about it like," Kokona made a 'whoa chill out' expression, pressed lips and wide eyes, "Geez, no need to yell at me."

Ayano scoffed, "Maybe Osana should join the Theater Club. She can be overdramatic."

Again Kokona giggled, "Ha, good one."

Just when they reached the open doors to the courtyard, there was someone waiting for them. Midori was standing there, smiling.

"Ayano Aishi," she said cheerfully and immediately Ayano knew something bad was about to happen. "I need to talk to you."

The girl in question put up a smile to Kokona, "I guess I'll have lunch with you another time then." Once Kokona went outside it was Midori who closed the doors. It was just the two of them in the empty corridor, just like Monday.

Midori just smiled at her and it was absolutely unnerving. She killed her and only now has the dead girl come to haunt her killer.

"Ayano Aishi," she repeated, "I need to talk to you."

"About what?" Ayano slowly reached for the knife stashed on her person.

The green haired girl chirped, "Taro Yamada. He sure is nice and such a cutie too!"

Describing what happened next can be summed up with the expression 'in a blink of an eye'. But Midori Gurin did not blink, nor did her smile falter, when Ayano grabbed her shoulder and smashed her body to the wall, pressing the knife to Midori's throat.

"I killed you," the knife wielder growled lowly. "You should be dead."

"Well, I don't feel dead," she says casually, as if she's not in danger of getting killed (again). "Did you watch me die? In movies and video games, you should never turn your back on the dead bodies. Otherwise they might just come back to life in the sequel!"

"Then I'll watch your body burn." Ayano slit her throat, simple as that. This has to be simple since it is lunch time and anyone can just walk in and see Midori smiling with a bleeding neck.

It was really uncomfortable and weird when Midori giggled as she slowly died. Ayano began hauling Midori's limb body down the hall. She knows that the incinerator is the best place to get rid of the body, plus she does want to watch Midori burn, but there's also the delinquents that hang out there at this hour.

She thinks she was an idea and acts quickly.

Near the end of the lunch hour Ayano has the decapitated limbs of Midori stuffed inside an abandoned cello case. Along the way, Ayano's shirt was bloodied but now she's wearing Kokona's discarded uniform shirt. Improvising is definitely one of Ayano's skills.

And so she lugs an innocent looking cello case towards the school furnace only to be stopped by the delinquents.

Instantly they crowd her with mocking, snide comments. One even gets in her face, poking at her collarbone, "What's a girl like you just walking over here? You look like an odd ball with that case of yours. Oh, what a very convincing scary face you got there."

At this point, Ayano was ready to slap a bitch, possibly stab as well. Instead someone intervened.

"Hey, knock it off all of you!" Budo Masuta stepped in and placed himself in between Ayano and the delinquents, "She's done nothing to you so you should all beat it. Otherwise I will not hesitate have the counselor expel you for harassment or would you rather I pin you down."

The delinquents actually hesitated to Ayano's surprise. To her knowledge Budo is the Martial Arts Club President, given his headband, and that he's fairly popular. Surely the idea of strength in numbers gave the delinquents the advantage but instead they decided to leave, with a few of them flipping their middle fingers at Budo.

"I honestly thought they were going to beat you up," Ayano said.

"You don't have to worry about me," Budo reassured.

"Trust me, I don't," Ayano muttered but she's sure that he heard her.

She finally had the cello case by the incinerator when Budo asked, "So why did you bring that here?"

Improvisation, her mind remembered and blurted the first thing that can make a boy go away.

"I'm burning panties." A beat passed with Ayano's face unwavering and Budo was definitely caught off guard.

His face was turning pink, "What?"

"I do not want to discuss my menstrual cycle to you so leave me be."

Budo decided to stare at the ground and rub his neck, "Ah yeah, okay I'll go, yeah."

He couldn't leave fast enough but he was still close to hear Ayano say, "Also don't tell anyone about this." Ayano pretty sure that in his gibberish response he promised to never mention this.

Ayano sighed in relief, she was not sure she would be able to pull that off with just mention bloody underwear but hey, she's not complaining. Now, back to business, she begins throwing Midori's limps into the furnace and true to her word, she watches the body burn.

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When Ayano told her that something was strange with Midori, Oka did not expect this. She didn't understand what even happened.

Or at the every least, she wants to surrpress the memory.

Oka Ruto was spying on Midori during lunch. Everything seemed normal enough on her first spying segment yesterday but later when she consulted to the spirits if Midori was a vessel or was in contact with them, something unusual happened. Her ritual was a standard divine calling one and when she asked her question, the answer was that Midori not a product of nature.

This brought more question than answers, one being to how Ayano Aishi was the first one to find something odd about Midori in the supernatural sense.

With this new knowledge, she had hope she'll notice something different in her second time spying on Midori. Several things happened.

Her schedule seemed fairly normal with classes and all but she didn't talk to anyone today. Oka could've sworn that Midori occasionally talks to the Science Club. Then at lunch is when normalcy drops.

Midori Gurin received a call, a short one where all she said was "Okei-doki" and left the rooftop, down to the bottom floor to call for Ayano Aishi.

Oka was spying around the corridor and saw Ayano kill Midori. It happened too fast for her, Midori mentioned the name Taro and then Ayano pinned her against the wall. They were speaking too low for Oka to hear but it didn't matter once Oka watch Ayano slit Midori's throat and drag her body away.

Her knees were wobbly and her eyes were tearing up a lot but for some reason- _curiosity? panic? a demon?_ \- Oka followed Ayano. It was a slow, unsteady walk to the doors leading outside for Oka and she cracked a door open to peek outside. By that time, Ayano had wandered off and brought back a circular saw. Ayano began cutting off Midori's limbs.

Oka was in shock. She watched blood splatter everywhere and Ayano had the tiniest glimpse of a smiling while doing this. Ayano saved Midori's head for last and this time, it was an angry, furious snarl that was on her face. Oka finally snapped out of it and crawled away as fast and quiet as she could, all the way back to her club room, her safe place.

Her back was pressed against the closed door and she just sat there, hugging her knees with a tight grip. She was breathing harshly as new tears filled her eyes and she was sure that those gross whines and nonsense words were coming from her mouth.

The words she tried to speak were all lagging behind her thoughts, trying to comprehend everything. When Oka first met Ayano, she sensed something coming from the stoic girl.

It was loneliness.

Ayano radiates loneliness.

And Oka related to that, that loneliness of a quiet girl with no friends. She even played with the idea of trying to be Ayano's friend. Oka truly thought that maybe one day, they could be good friends.

That dark face of malice flashed within her mind. If something was astray with a person, Oka's first theory would lead to the occult but she saw Ayano's face. There was no demon possessing her, no supernatural aura on her.

Ayano Aishi is human and that terrifies Oka.

There is no outside force controlling Ayano, no dark curse compelling her, and no demon persuading her. It was all her choice to kill someone. Ayano has the tools and willpower to do something as extreme as murder.

Oka is so scared that she stayed silent throughout the whole day, not mentioning the absence of Midori and canceling her club meeting that day.

She went home scared and consulted her books, her occult books that give her comfort and knowledge.

Too many thoughts on how Ayano was human.

And never did her mind ever wonder why in her last ritual, the dark gods consider that Midori was not human.

* * *

 _Updates will be on Tuesday._

 _I_ _I am having fun adding other characters' perspective scenes so expect more of it. Huh, I almost forgot that I need to put a character for line breaks. So yeah, expect a lot of_ [] _'s._

 _Edit: fixed shit like spacing and words_

 _Next Chapter: Stumble and Fall_


	3. Stumble and Fall

It is Thursday when Oka Ruto has realized her mistake.

Or better said: her foolishness. All she focused on was the murderer, Ayano Aishi, and not the victim, Midori Gurin.

Said victim who had her limbs sawed off and is now alive and walking pass the school gates. Maybe that horrible memory really was a hullication but that's not the case, unfortunately.

She is not a product of nature, an omnipotent and dark being told Oka. That certainly brought suspension to what Midori is but Oka was overwhelmed with the horror of watching Midori getting dismembered.

Trauma can mess with a person's head alright.

But in her previous analysis on Midori Gurin, there was no lingering aura of any kind on her. There was no dark tome or cursed object on her person, unless her phone was hexed but that seemed unlikely. Demons tend to dislike and avoid modern day technology. Her club members learned that lesson.

And now, there was still no darkness on Midori, if Oka focused hard enough or was able to trace something down, she'll be able to identify something out-worldly about Midori. But there was nothing, if anything, there was a sense of null and void lightly surrounding Midori and her aloof attitude.

It was unbelievable and frustrating.

Oka wasn't the only one who's mad.

When Ayano arrived, Oka made sure that she was far away from her. Oka was hiding behind the lockers as everyone was walking inside the building. Perfect cover to hide from a murderer but Ayano's focus was on Midori, she was scowling and was irritated.

Ayano was the person who brought Oka's attention to her and by her reaction, she knows about Midori's resurrection, and so that must mean that she has seen Midori die but no that's not right. She must have murdered Midori before, that it! Ayano has killed before and now has the problem of Midori coming back to life and oh no…

She wants to kill Midori and Oka is a witness. Oka is Ayano's consultant to figuring out why Midori is still alive. Ayano might visit her again and Oka has no idea if she can remain her composure and not freak out and blurt that she saw Ayano kill and dismember Midori yesterday afternoon.

Oka's feet were on autopilot, taking her to her safe haven, her clubroom. Knowledge is power and power can protect Oka, her mind assured. There has to be an explanation in one of her tomes, scrolls, and books. She needs protection and, hah, like she stands a chance against Ayano in a fight. Oh, she's so small and weak _and alone and she is utterly helpless unless…_

Too wrapped up in thought, Oka bumped right into someone's back.

And since she is also wrapped up in panic, Oka shrieked. She was trembling and raised her arms above her head in defense.

"Woah, Oka! I, um, it's just me, Oka." There were gentle fingers tapping her arm, hesitant on whether to lower her arm down or not, "Just calm down, it's just me."

Her hands lowered down enough to see it was Kaga Kusha right in front of her. Despite his hectic and sporadic appearance consisting of spiky silver hair, yellow lab gloves, and his lab coat that for whatever reason is forever pristine, the Science Club President had a gentler smile that his usual energetic grin.

"Kaga, oh, um," Oka now had her arms to her sides, rubbing her elbow. "I'm sorry about bumping into you and screaming. I was thinking too much about something."

"No worries, I guess we were doing that same thing but," he leaned his head forward, just a bit to make it hard for Oka to break eye contact, "you're really wound up with nerves, more so than yesterday."

"Y-yesterday?" She shuttered.

"Yeah, I was trying to find you but I heard you canceled your club meeting. And when I did see you, you looked very," Kaga tapped his chin, "Well I honestly can't put it into words. You simply looked freaked out."

"Freaked out is one way to describe me."

"I'd disagree. You strive for knowledge for anything occult related and from the post meetings, you've always seemed ecstatic after successful attempts on reaching out to godly forces." Kaga did lean away from her, to her relief, but his attention was all on her and his stare felt critical.

"You were at my post meetings?"

In a brief moment, Kaga stare felt colder but he quickly turned bashful, "A few whenever I'm leaving the lab around that time. I just can't help but notice the buzzing energy of the Occult Club! As a man of science, I appreciate the discovery of any and all knowledge. Science just happens to be in my field of expertise but I'd love to learn about the occult too."

This time, there was a friendly wink from Kaga.

Oka didn't quite know how to respond to that. Sure she welcomes all who wishes to be a part of the occult but Kaga Kusha was on a whole other level of desire for research. He's constantly babbling about world domination of all things and honestly, Oka wants no part of that.

Fortunately the morning bell rang saved her. She mumbled a quick goodbye and all but sprint away to her class. If she avoids strange people like Kaga, Ayano, and Midori for the day, perhaps Oka's mind will mend itself and she'll find a solution for this situation.

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A solution to Ayano Aishi's problem was in the palm of her hand. Quite literally.

Ignoring the mystery of Midori because, hell, she can't wrap her head about it, Ayano focused on Senpai of course. The curious case of Midori Gurin can wait and if Ayano has to kill her again, so be it.

But for Osana Najime, murder is not Ayano's answer. Instead it is a small bottle of emetic.

It should be surprising on how easy it was for the student to grab it out of the nurse's office but this is the same school that didn't caught the murderer of a student. It's almost shocking that the death of a young girl has passed so mundanely over the few weeks. But hey, if this means that Ayano's not caught and is able to see Taro, then so be it.

Kokona was useful to Ayano, mentioning about Osana's sudden interest in the Cooking Club. All signs point to her cooking a homemade meal for Senpai. How disgusting, that pig must be kidding herself. Yesterday after school, Ayano spied on Osana asking for advice from the Cooking Club President.

That included Osana getting defensive on to why she was invested in cooking a bento meal for two. And when Osana is defensive she is loud.

So that's her plan, Ayano mused, already thinking of ways to sabotage the lunch. And that is where Thursday morning has led her to. Osana left the bento boxes on her desk as she stepped out of the room for a phone call right when class had ended. Most students were already leaving the room and the teacher appeared to be recovering from a hangover, how very professional of her.

Osana wouldn't be gone for too long and Ayano's not going to risk letting a hangover and headaches be an effective distraction. So this needs to be quick.

Ayano dumps all the emetic on a bento box and left the classroom.

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This lunch is the single most important thing that Osana Najime has ever done. She got Taro to agree to meet her up on the rooftop and now she's just staring at the box set, nervous. Osana held the bento boxes on her lap, glancing at the rooftop doors. Her foot kept tapping to fill the quiet space. Unfortunately the roof was not vacated as much as she hoped. She saw at least five other students up here but that was enough to make Osana lose her nerves. They better mind their damn business when Senpai gets here.

His tardiness is only making her feel worse. Too much nervous energy in her, all because she _likes-likes_ a boy and is now waiting for him. Gosh, why couldn't she just out right say her feelings and ask him out.

When Taro finally got to the rooftop, all that nervousness in her made her stand and outburst, "I can't believe you're late again! Are you doing this on purpose?"

"What, no Osana, I would never." He said then frowned, "You really think I'd be like that?"

Osana wanted to scream but her voice wavered, "No, I didn't mean it."

"Then why do you say it?" Taro practically yelled, waving his hands frustrated. "I'm late and you yell at me. I think I heard you say something and when I ask what, you yell at me. Osana, I'm your friend so why do you treat me like this? You've changed and became so different than when we were kids."

The angry depleted into a sad small voice but it very loud to Osana.

"I'm still me, Taro," was her weak response, equally sad.

"I know that. I do see that but you've gotten so overbearing and defensive. Like you're hiding something from be but you also want me to be some perfect friend that doesn't question your behavior." Taro squeezed his eyes shut and opened them and declared, "I'm not perfect Osana. I can't always please you and I can't believe that you would have a huge reaction whenever I don't please you."

"No I only act like this because," Osana gulped, trying to speak clearly, "Because… I."

She can't do it.

She can't do anything when Taro is looking at her like she hurt him and… she has… Oh god she's been hurting him!

She's so stupid and arrogant and selfish and bad and _and and_

He took a deep breath, preparing his next words. "Osana, I don't understand what's going on with you but if you continue insulting me and expecting me to not change then this friendship is over."

She shook her head, "This isn't what I wanted to happen."

"Then what did you want? Because I'm quite done with you always saying that you didn't mean to say something demeaning about me. But you do!" This rage was new and uncomfortable on Taro. He never wanted to ever yell at a friend, at Osana nonetheless and she doesn't know how to react to this. "You complain about me and I feel bad and I don't know how to make things better because I feel like I'm a hindrance to you and I feel like I keep messing this friendship up and you yelling at me isn't making things better."

"I'm sorry!" Osana clutched her hands together, unsure on what to do but continued her apology, "I'm so sorry Taro. I just say the wrong damn thing every time. I just wanted to say that I," she tried to speak her truth again but trailed off very quietly, now aware to how loud their argument is.

Her face burned with humiliation. There were other students here, she recalled, some even from her class. Eyes were staring at her back, watching this train wreck that started with her just being a screw up.

Taro's patience with her has reached its end. His ever calm demeanor was chilly. "Osana, I think I need some time away from you. I just," he huffed deeply, even tugging his hair from stress, "I'm just tired from this."

Osana weakly outstretched a hand to stop him, a tiny pitiful "No" uttered from her lips. His back was already turned and he gave no indication that he heard her. Taro left the rooftop.

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So, things worked better than Ayano Aishi had originally planned. At first she thought things might derailed the moment she stepped onto the rooftop because Osana Najime was already there, looking at all the entrances for Senpai.

Ayano need to act as casual as she could possibly be, it helped that for once Midori wasn't here. It also benefited her that there's a person here that can act as her alibi, Kokona Haruka. She and Saki Miyu were at one of the corners of the roof but Ayano's sure that it would perfect cover to spy on Senpai and Osana.

Kokona and Saki moved to the more secluded section of the corner, not even seeing Ayano coming by. Perfect, less distraction for Ayano to eavesdrop on the disaster that's about to come. Apparently Taro was late so Ayano was bored and giving half an ear to Kokona.

"Ever since my mom died, my dad's been drinking a lot… Sometimes, when he's drunk, he comes into my room and," Kokona stopped herself, her voice strained and meek and the opposite of the happy girl that Ayano knows her as.

Saki's worries and Kokona's denial to say more was all background noise to the loud, bloody, violent thoughts in Ayano's head. It took a second for her to process the information and all at once, Ayano has the urge to kill Kokona's father.

Any other day, Ayano would just bat an eye on hearing someone talk about domestic abuse but now, well emotions have always been an abstract concept to her that are compel her to do things. First it was all about Senpai but after hearing this, Ayano's emotions went a bit haywire. Her hand had a tight grip on her knife, ready to be used on someone, specifically the one hurting Kokona.

There was no time for Ayano to question her sudden desire to kill a man she never cared existed- but oh how she wants him to cease to live- because she heard Senpai yelling.

That's odd, he never raises his voice.

Ayano peeked out of her hiding and saw the most unexpected thing: Taro Yamada yelling at Osana Najime.

The strategist (or murderer) part of her brain quickly told her that Kokona and Saki might peek on the main event and catch her within hearing range of their private conversation. So Ayano moved some feet away from the corner but it wasn't like she as distracting to the drama happening right before them.

So yeah, the few students on the roof did not give Taro and Osana any privacy.

It ended as it started with Taro getting frustrated by his friend and he left. Ayano could not believe her eyes. She stared at the forgotten bento boxes on the bench, they weren't touched at all. Ayano wasn't needed to make Osana's plans fail.

Smug pride swelled up inside of Ayano. She kind of liked that feeling. It quickly stampeded down when she saw Kokona in the corner of her eyes. Ayano dug her finger nails into her palm, she wanted to hurt somebody.

At the sight of Osana on the edge of crying for the rest of the day, Ayano was riding the high of the end of Osana's friendship with Taro. She need to plan something out for deal with Kokona's mess but right now, it looked like this day was going to end with a high note.

Ayano continued with her usual routine on stalking Senpai as he walked home, still looking distressed and sad about Osana. He'll suck it up later and forget all about her once Ayano got him. Regardless, he returned home safely and so Ayano made her way to her house.

When she made it into her neighborhood, Ayano heard the sound of somebody running. Ayano barely turned her head when the runner caught up to her and right hooked her face. Whiplashed and confused, Ayano lost her balance and ended up with her butt on the sidewalk, her cheek throbbing with pain.

Midori Gurin stands over her with that damn smile. "I want to hurt you!"

* * *

 _Alternately, I wanted to title this chapter as "Character Development" because my sole goal of this fanfic is to flesh out the characters in some way._

 _I've also realized that this document format doesn't have the Strikethrough feature, the one where there's a line crossing through words, and I already written future chapters that use Strikethrough for a narrative thing with the mindset of posting the chapters on the ArchieveOfOurOwn website cause that has the Strikethrough. S_ _o there's a small chance I might forget about that before editing certain parts to work better in this site so there might be sentences that don't seem grammar correctly but I will work on and fix it._

 _Edit: To be completely honest, I was not satisfied of the first posted draft of Taro's and Osana's scene. It felt a bit too rushed and sudden and now adding in Taro's "I'm not perfect" line feels better along with adding to Osana's emotional state as well._

 _Next Chapter: One Step Forward Three Steps Back_


	4. One Step Forward Three Steps Back

It is Friday morning.

And just imagine Ayano Aishi lying down in her bed and she does a dull groan that gradually becomes louder to express her anguish and rage and pain of the thing titled as her life because it sucks right now.

Ayano would like to forget what happened last night. She would also like for all the pain in her body to go away because wow, she did not need to know that the human body can experience so much pain from one school girl.

Then again, said school girl came back to life more than once.

Want to know how Ayano got these wounds? Well too bad, she'll never speak about how Midori Gurin severely kicked her ass! But alas her bruises and cuts seemed to recall exactly what happened, forcibly reminding Ayano what went down.

The moment Midori finished that line, that "I want to hurt you!" she knee dived on top of Ayano and started wailing at her face. Ayano tried to guard and block but Midori kept landing successful hits, knocking her head against the sidewalk.

She was dazed but her body was running on panic and the instinct to attack. Midori was shoved off by Ayano's kneecap and Ayano pounced, she unsheathed her knife and stabbed at Midori's gut. The knife satisfyingly hit its target and Ayano twisted the blade but Midori made no pained facial expression, she just kept smiling.

Midori went for Ayano's throat. She used only one hand and it had an iron grip, crushing her windpipe. Ayano thrashed about, trying to stand up but Midori held on and she even pulled out the knife in her gut. The green haired girl managed to stand up, a little unbalanced from the blood lost but she still held Ayano in her place.

"This is so much fun!" She says and then pounded Ayano back onto the ground. This time there was a sharp cold pain in the back of Ayano's head and she made the effort to claw at Midori's arms and kick the bloody wound of Midori's stomach.

That was enough to push Midori off but she's still on her feet. She watched Ayano slowly stand up and then she discarded the knife by throwing it to the road. The cling of metal rattled the scene, they were alone in the dark, sleeping neighborhood.

Midori clapped her hands together, gaining Ayano's attention away from the bloodied knife. "Ayano, as much as I loved to be stabbed again, I'd think that the sight of blood in the neighborhood would bring some suspicious attention to you, especially if they can only identify your blood."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Ayano's breath was ragged and her face still felt swelled and bruised. She's pretty sure that her lip is busted too.

The dead girl pointed at her, "You killed me and I came back." She lowered her voice and grinned, "I'm not human but shush! That's a _secret!_ " Midori stressed the last word and held a finger to her lips and made more shushing sounds.

"I killed you twice!" Ayano yelled and Midori shushed her. "And I can kill you a third time."

"No you can't, you big meanie because I'm smart," she tapped her forehead happily. "Besides, I think it's time that I kill you, it's only fair."

Ayano's nerves kicked up to high gear and she instantly went to block Midori's punches. All of her punches were aimed at her torso and face so Ayano was barely able to catch Midori's kick at her shins. With her leg in Ayano's hold, Ayano punched Midori's face, feeling rather than hearing a crack of bones.

Midori spit out a tooth at Ayano's face. There was now a gap in her top row of teeth in her smile. And then Midori was able to use a burst of strength to kick up her standing leg, twist her body, and swing her leg at Ayano's head.

They both went tumbling down to some grassy lawn and there was a dull endless ring in Ayano's ears blocking out noise. She barely processed that there were hands gripping her ankles and suddenly the world shifted way too fast and then everything spun. Midori swung her to the ground and Ayano could feel bile rising up in her mouth, too much vertigo and head rushing.

She was on her hands and knees, her head still touching the ground in an effort to still her spinning mind. A foot slammed her down, digging the heel into her back and another foot stomped her shins. Midori crouched down, grabbed her ponytail and tightly pulled her head back.

"I want to hurt you," Midori repeated but it was more as a childish whine, "I really do, this is really fun but I'm told to spare you. Give you mercy and all that jazz. So goodnight Ayano!"

Ayano's face collided with the ground.

It is very unclear to Ayano how much time had passed by then but eventually the freezing wind is telling her to get up despite her aching limps. Her head pounded with a dull pain but eventually, somehow, she makes it back home.

She's not too hurt she tells herself when she wakes up. Her legs wobbled as she got out of bed, passing her bloody knife that she barely remembers picking up and tossing it away and made her way to the bathroom.

Poking her cheeks brought a sting of pain, bearable but still made her wince. She now has a black eye, a bloody busted lip, her nose feels like it might be broken, and an angry redness around her throat. Well, that's what the most noticeable is. There's some bruises on her stomach, she legs ached, and it appears that Midori has left some nail marks in her ankles from when Ayano got tossed.

All in all, Ayano did not feel good.

It was Midori who did this to her, who beat her up with no signs of exhaustion and who _spared_ her. That green bitch gave her pitiful mercy because someone told her to. Ayano dug her nails into her palms, furious.

She's furious at Midori, at whoever Midori's working with, and most of all at herself.

In the midst of that fight there was one thing that was keeping Ayano moving but also made her lose focus for mere seconds: fear.

Her hands began to tremble on the sink top. Ayano was scared and there was a constant cold rush in her brain, thinking that Midori would use her own knife and kill her. Midori can and will beat her up and Ayano could barely do a thing to stop her. That thing that takes the shape of a human can kill her and she would die and that coldness will take over whatever warmth there was inside her and she'll never again see Info, Kokona, or even Saki and Taro and no matter what she'll be all alone. She will be alone alone alone alone _alone_ _she is already_ _e_

 _CRACK_

Ayano's fist, the same one that knocked Midori's tooth out of place, smashed against the sink top. The pain electrified through her arm and she bit her bloodied lip to stop a scream and add to the pain.

Good, that stopped her thoughts. Her brain was overthinking way to fast and the chill building up in her is gradually subsiding.

Ayano took a few deep breaths and said, "Fuck."

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There are good days and bad days, Kokona Haruka believed. Then there are days that are filled with both good and bad. Lately, Kokona's been having an awful lot of bad days in an attempt to make good days and so far, things look futile.

Kokona tapped her chin. Yeah, she's pretty sure that futile means failure or something.

Hmm, failure, yeah it certainly felt like that. She's been desperately trying to get something good in her life by going on those… _dates_.

The money is worth it right? The money is worth going through those unnerving gazes and those uncomfortable lingering touches on her thighs and when that one date happened where he wanted a goodbye kiss and she just ran.

This is taking a toll on Kokona. She thought she'd have the courage to talk about it to Saki but she's just a coward. Saki tried to help but that ended with her losing her bra on campus and Kokona has been feeling guilty for that.

Saki Miyu is absolutely the best person that Kokona has ever met. It was a good morning for her; Kokona loves it when it's just her and Saki walking together. They're finishing up in the shoe locker room and then something bad just had to happen.

Her phone buzzed and Kokona wanted to cry, it was that guy from the last date. She told Saki to go ahead and meet her inside while she took the call. The front entrance was already clearing out when Kokona was still debating on answering the phone.

This is the fifth time that the guy called and Kokona been telling him to stop and, "Ugh!" She shut her phone off, promptly ignoring the guy and rubbed her face unsurely. Kokona lightly kicked a foot against the ground, a bit sad and frustrated.

The gal just wanted one good day.

"You and me both," was said in a monotone voice.

Kokona managed to not scream when she looked up and saw Ayano passing her. She stared at the black haired girl, slightly limping her way into the now empty locker room.

She switched her shoes and caught Kokona still staring at her, Ayano shrugged, "Yeah, you said that out loud, Kokona."

"Oh. Um Ayano you look, no offensive, terrible."

Ayano blinked slowly and sighed, "Alright, I won't take offensive to that."

"Okay wait, hold up," Kokona blocked Ayano's path when it looked like she was going to walk away. "Why are you here? You're hurt and you're acting as if everything is fine."

"Trust me things are not fine," she grumbled darkly and Kokona was tempted to ask what happened.

Instead Kokona took Ayano's hand, took a quick glance at the bloody knuckles and smiled gently at her, "I won't ask any questions Ayano, just let me take you to the nurse's office okay?"

At Ayano's scowling nod, they fortunately found that the substitute nurse wasn't there but had left the office unlocked. Yeah, it was a unanimous decision by the students that Nurse Muja Kina wasn't the best at her job after that one incident… To why she's still around, well most students happen to like her enough to not get her fired.

So it was Kokona's job to patch Ayano up. She cleaned the blood off of the knuckles and wrapped gauze around it and is now fetching an ice pack for Ayano's black eye. Throughout the whole thing, Ayano increasingly relaxed but Kokona knew that she didn't want to talk about it.

"Alright, here's an ice pack and if you want, I got some makeup and concealer to hide the bruises."

Ayano gave her a frown, "Have you've done this before?" At Kokona's confused hum Ayano clarified, "Has someone been hurting you?" Then Ayano frown turned angry, "Has your father been hurting you?"

"What no! He would never." Kokona now frowned at Ayano, "Why do you think my father's been hurting me?"

She held the ice pack to her eye, avoiding eye contact and admitted, "I overheard your conversation with Saki yesterday." Ayano set the ice down in favor of staring at Kokona with a determined look in her eyes. "If your father is hurting you I will do everything I can to stop him."

"You, ah, got the wrong idea Ayano," she said, now very unwilling to talk but she managed to get something out. "When he's drunk he doesn't hurt me. He cries." Kokona swallowed a lump in her throat.

In front of her is another friend that wants to help and this time she'll ask for it, she can't do those dates anymore. After explaining her situation with the loan sharks, Kokona just felt more depressed and useless.

Ayano took both of Kokona's hands, "I told you, I will do everything I can to help you, Kokona. But you have to promise me to never ask how."

"I don't like the sound of that but if it gets my father out of debt then okay." Kokona curled her fingers with Ayano's, smiling with watery eyes, "Thank you Ayano." She let go of Ayano's injured hand to pull the other girl into a hug. Ayano felt tears at the crook of her neck and she awkwardly patted Kokona's shoulder as she sniffled.

"Just leave everything to me," she says with a dark, protective look.

The door opened abruptly. The two girls stared at Nurse Muja. She waved at them and said good morning, as if it was normal for her to see two unsupervised students hugging in her office.

Nurse Muja just went over to her desk, writing on some papers and said casually, "As cute as this is, and I understand the need for privacy, but I think you girls are late for class." She walked over to them and handed over two nurse's notes, "High school romance can be hard but remember, communication is the key, always use protection, and education is worth working for."

A "Wait, what?" was all that came out of Ayano.

Kokona took the lead, and the notes, and smiled sheepishly, "Oh thanks, I appreciate your support but we're not a couple."

"Silly me then," Nurse Muja then gave Ayano a mean (well not too mean, more of a pout) frown, "You though, you need to come back during lunch for me to take care of you."

The students glanced to each other, remembering the… incident a while back.

But surely there will be no needles or heavy medical equipment this time around, right?

Kokona, the no help that she is, shrugged. Seeing that there is no way out of this Ayano, twice that day, reluctantly agreed. A few minutes later, the girls walked out of the girls' bathroom with Ayano's face painted nicely with concealer as Kokona has promised. True to Nurse Muja's words, the girls were late but Kokona didn't let a scolding from her teacher ruin her good day.

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It's only by lunch when Osana Najime realized that Taro isn't here today.

Her game plan for Friday was to avoid Senpai at all cost because yesterday was a mess. It was all her fault, the lunch, their failing friendship, and there is no chance that he'll ever return her feelings.

Looking back on their relationship, she did an awful lot of yelling at him. Oh god, it was stupid of her to even think that the cherry blossom myth would help her out. Her love life is hopeless. Hell, her life is hopeless. Taro wasn't in the wrong and Osana has no good excuse to defend herself.

She's sitting on one of the benches by the center fountain, the one that Taro would always spend lunch at. It was strange to see it empty but nobody seemed to give too much thought as to why Taro is absent.

Fortunately the little spectacle of their fight didn't spread like wildfire. That's good, right? There was no one to bother her but also there was no one there for her. Taro is her best friend and she spent all her free time dedicated to him.

Everything started out as platonic but with time and time thinking about him, romantic thoughts of Taro started to form and Osana was freaking out. When she's calm and collective around him, she's happy that they're together but not… satisfied, like she knows there can be more if she just says the right words. But instead she says the wrong words and their conversations are left awkward and uncomfortable.

His words stayed in her head since yesterday.

…Was she a bad friend?

Osana doesn't want to give an answer and there's no one else she can ask. She lost her best friend. She lost the only friend she had in this school.

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Normally, Budo Matsuda loves Fridays. It means another day of practicing martial arts! But today, well, things got a little serious for him.

During lunch, one of his club members, Sho "Self-Proclaimed Parkour Master" Kunin, eagerly and recklessly tried a new move but ended up falling flat on his face. (God damnit Sho)

So Budo did the mature and leader thing to do and dashed his way to the nurse's office. There he saw Nurse Muja and Ayano Aishi, in the process of removing makeup from a very busted and bruised cheek.

Ayano didn't look the slightest bit of embarrassed or scared that someone unexpectedly ran in and saw her bruises. In fact her eyes narrow just a smidge. Budo didn't know what to make of that.

He told Nurse Muja his situation and got the proper medical stuff, ice pack and a wrap, the usual, all the while glancing at Ayano. She frowned at him but not in a mean way if that makes any sense to Budo.

(Honestly this girl makes no sense to Budo. He's still awkward and more so confused ever since she talked about burning panties!)

Ahem!

He promised himself to never think about that.

 _Never_.

But back to the point, as a club leader there is responsibilities to uphold but as a martial artist there is the code of using your strength to protect yourself and others. Most of the reason why his club members joined is to learn self-defense because it's pretty cool and a great exercise.

Surprisingly it is a few of them that joined to protect themselves from danger, aka bullies of any sort. It's mostly the delinquents that cause physical problems so Budo has to be very strict that his club is for protection, not revenge.

That rule echoed in his mind when Ayano came up to him after school, right outside of the club room, wanting to join the martial arts club. Her makeup was reapplied but his mind still saw the bruises and it appears that Ayano didn't feel the need to hide her busted lip.

Being him, Budo enthusiastically agreed, even clapping their hands together. He managed not to stare at her bandaged hand. Ayano didn't show much signs of excitement which only confirmed his suspensions more.

Letting go of her hands, he coughed and tried to gain a mature composure. "Ayano, the delinquents have been leaving you alone right?"

"Yes, they have."

Budo blinked, "Then why do you have-"

"Don't, just don't even ask Budo."

"No Ayano, I have to know this at least. Are you joining for revenge?

Ayano kept up an unexpressive face and now there was hesitation. She broke eye contact, like she was considering something unsurely. "Okay, I'll be honest with you, the idea of revenge did interest me but now, there's something else." Budo patiently waited for her answer, this has to be the longest someone has ever seen Ayano Aishi be so… vulnerable. "I want to be strong and I've been lonely too. The martial arts club seems like the answer."

Friendship, Budo hasn't heard that reason in a while.

He held out a hand to her, "Alright, welcome to the club. Don't worry I'm sure that you'll make lots of friends here."

One of the female members, Shima Shita, began to welcome Ayano to the club after Budo gave strict instruction that Ayano will begin formal training next week. She assured him privately that she'll be healed up by then but he's still a little worried.

Budo wanted to be the one to give Ayano the basics, feeling a sense of responsibility to care for her, but another club president caught him right when practice was going to start.

"Hello Budo," greeted Kaga, "I just wanted to say thanks for letting me analyze your brain. The data has been more fun than I originally thought."

"No problem, anything to help a fellow student," he happily patted the scientist's shoulder.

"Oh, I see you have a new member." He looked into the club room where Ayano was closely watching a sparring match. "I cannot wait to see her kick your ass."

Laughing, Budo lightly punched Kaga's arm. "You know that that's not what this club is about. Also you've never really answered my question from before. What is this project of yours?"

"Hmm," Kaga shrugged, "You have to be more specific than that. There's the project for world domination, one for a giant robot, one for a MEKA, another for galactic domination, universe domination but I like to just start with the world. Ya know, start out small. Then there's that one thing that _might_ kick up next week if my calculations are correct, which they are. Gotta be ready for that."

Kaga was listing the projects on his fingers, saying more that went above Budo's head. At the thirteenth plan, again about robots, Budo interrupted, "I kind of meant the one that I sort of helped with, the one you just thanked me for helping."

"Ah yes," the scientist snapped his fingers, like he completely forgot about it. "Analyzing your brain provided a visual of how your brain works while in a combat scenario. A brain is like a super computer, it instantly registers what your opponent's action is and would be and your brain makes you react in accordance to counter or block. With that data, I might find a way for the brain to work ten times faster to predict, react, and perfectly think of a plan for any physical situation. Does that make any sense?"

Budo scratched his head, "I think I heard this in a movie before."

Kaga blinked, "Huh, cool, I'd like to watch that. And either prove it wrong or right. Well anyway I shouldn't take so much of your time. Goodbye Budo, have fun with your newest trainee!"

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Info-chan contacted her.

After days of radio silence, Info messaged her, telling how she'll help Ayano with her newest vendetta. Like always, Ayano is not surprised that the unknown info broker caught on to what the school girl is planning.

Why the silence, Ayano wanted to ask.

Info completely dropped from the radar. The broker didn't talk to any of her clients from what the whispered conversations and rumors informed. There was always that unspoken vow to not even dare think of ratting Info's deeds to the teachers but when she was gone for just three days, some students couldn't help but feel jumpy.

After all, Info-chan lives up to her name.

She sent Ayano the burner phone and camera, reassuring that at least her digital trail will be swept up. The physical labor is all Ayano's. Despite the wounds from her fight with Midori, Ayano managed to drug and kidnapped one daughter of a loan shark.

In the back of her mind, Ayano questioned why she was even doing these horrendous things, traumatizing poor Musume Ronshaku and presenting a hostage situation for her father. The moral and good intentioned reason would be that there are many clients getting freed from debt but no, that's not it for Ayano.

This is all for Kokona.

That's Ayano's answer and it oddly satisfies her. Just like when she told Budo her reason for joining his club. She doesn't understand it but it's the truth, she doesn't like this lonely life she has.

Ayano thinks about this on her way back from dropping an unconscious Musume in front of Ronshaku Loans in the dead of night. Mr. Ronshaku was rather keen to make sure that the authorities wouldn't be involved, most likely valuing his job over his daughter. He's probably trying to find a way to get more money even after what he promised.

Once again, emotions are confusing Ayano. They're contradicting or instinctive without any reason but nonetheless they will take over one way or another and show people's true colors.

When she finally got home it was a little past midnight. No one was there for her to sneak past so Ayano took a dive to the couch, exhausted both mentally and physically.

A small part of her wondered if there was another way for Ayano to help Kokona without kidnapping. Maybe there was but Ayano acted impulsively, working with what she knows which just so happens to be keeping a defensive girl as hostage over her greedy father.

What's done is done though and Ayano will accept that because this is for Kokona, her… friend.

Her phone buzzed.

It was second burner phone that she got, with Info's reasoning that it was for the sake of precaution.

Info had texted her, " _What you did, you did for Kokona Haruka, someone you've just recently befriended. We on the other hand have been partners for much longer. Ayano, I need a favor._ "

END OF WEEK ONE

* * *

 _Thanks for reading! This is not too important but this Act/Week One is titled: Heart and Mind Breaks._

 _Edit: I fixed a little grammar sentence thing that has been bugging me, like I think I just worded some stuff funny or whatever. Also I now know more canon game characters' names! AKA thanks wiki. I think adding in named background characters actually brings them personality instead of leaving them ambiguous. Except for the Student Council, they will remain nameless._

 _Next Chapter - Interlude: Some Good Days_


	5. Some Good Days

WEEKEND INTERLUDE

Her father got a phone call from the loan company. At first there was dread in her stomach when he started to cry but that wasn't the case.

All of their debt has been paid off.

They spent a good hour hugging each other, crying. It was the first good thing that happened to them since her mom was still alive. Kokona never thought that this was possible. She thought that she'll end up going on more uncomfortable dates while her father becomes a drunken mess beyond recovery.

But thanks to Ayano Aishi her life can get better now.

Kokona instantly called Ayano, thanking her and promising not to ask how. She thought back to the other day, seeing Ayano's all beat up. It was like she didn't care who saw her wounds, she was about to go to school baring her bruises.

Just what was she thinking?

Why did she get hurt in the first place?

Maybe Kokona will never get the answer.

Ayano's not like her, they both have their secrets but Kokona desperately wanted to spill her problems to Saki but didn't want to risk her getting hurt while Ayano wants to fight her demons all by herself, like she had no other friends to turn to for help. It sounds like a lonely life so Kokona wants to be there for Ayano, even if she doesn't ask for it directly.

Saturday was spent all day with her father, celebrating their new start by getting rid of all the alcohol in the house. Then they were just on the couch, looking at a picture of her mom. Hours passed as they recalled all of their memories of the woman, how she'd be so happy to see them like this.

Her death was very hard for them. Kokona listened intently to her dad retelling their love story. They were good friends, the best even, and they just fell in love all at once. To them, love was comfort and electric and brought out the good in you.

He kissed Kokona's forehead, "Your mother and I, we love you so much Kokona."

"I know and I love you too." She hugged him back tightly, "I want to find someone like Mom and fall in love and everything."

"You have all the time in the world to fall in love. Just remember, if you love someone, tell them."

They stayed on the couch for the rest of the day, watching TV. It's been a while since they had a real conversation.

On Sunday, Kokona's dad went to do some more work stuff, trying to get a better job, and she spent the day with Saki. They got back from the mall where Kokona brought some makeup for Ayano as a thank you present. The girls were lying on Kokona's bed as she explained what happened.

"So that's why you looked like you were going through hell."

"I wouldn't really call it hell, it was bad but-"

"No you were going through something difficult and you didn't know what to do." Saki sat up and held Kokona's hand. "I'm not, well, too offended that you didn't tell me this and I get that you wanted this to be a secret, even from me, but please, you have to know that I care about you and I'll be here for you."

She sat up too, leaning her head onto Saki's shoulder, "I'm sorry I didn't go to you for help."

"It's fine Kokona, you did try and that gave me the idea that something was up but what matters now is that you and your dad are alright. You don't have to go on those dates anymore and your dad is out of his funk."

"I don't want to tell him about the dates," she says quietly. There was still some lingering shame in her from the memories of those men.

"Okay, that's fine too. It's all behind you and," Saki trailed off, "I am running out of reassuring things to say. Kokona, I like, I really," a huff left her mouth. "I care about a lot, okay? Me worrying about you shouldn't make you feel guilty or scared for me. Just know that I'll always be here for you."

Kokona intertwined their fingers, "Thanks Saki. I didn't want you to get involved cause I was scared that you'll, I don't know, get mad or ashamed to know me for the dates I've been on."

"That's ridiculous, if anything I'm angry at those guys making you feel scared for your wellbeing and going on dates with younger girls."

"Yeah, I'm glad that it's all over now. I can finally go on dates with people I actually like." Kokona shifted her head up and her nose was hovering very close to Saki's.

They were just staring at each other, not knowing what to do. Saki made a move to lean away but Kokona tighten the grip of their held hands. She might have even said a small "Wait" under her breath, she wasn't sure. Her heartbeat was starting to pick up.

Saki didn't move and her mouth was slightly open, unsure to say anything. Her eyes kept glancing at Kokona's lips and back to her eyes.

"Ah," Kokona began, her voice failing. A small echo of the word coward rang in her head along with her father's words. "I can go on dates with people I, well, like. I want to have a good relationship like my parents."

All of these words were spoken in a low volume, as if she was telling a secret, something intimate and heavy and raw. Saki did nothing to interrupt but her silence made Kokona's nerves start to bundle and compress, squeezing her throat.

"If I love someone, I want them to know that. I don't want to waste the word love or treat it as something fragile and scarce." She swallowed the saliva in her mouth and a small laugh escaped her, "Yeah, you can probably see where this is headed."

"I can but," Saki says and leans in, only to brush her lips at the corner of Kokona's mouth, "I'm not really the type of gal to kiss before the first date."

She pecked Kokona's cheek and Kokona lost all of her composure and let her head drop on Saki's shoulder again, emitting a high pitch sound from her throat as her face became hot and red. "I, I, ugh! What am I doing?"

"Your best," Saki patted her head. Kokona groaned louder. "It was very nice, romantic even, very romantic. You swelled up my heart with your poetry. Doing this in your messy room is very classy. Oh my we're sitting on your bed, how daring of you Kokona."

"Just shut up please."

"Are you going to take me on a date or what?"

Kokona hugged her, "Yes I'm going to take you on a date. I really do like you."

"And here I thought you were going to confess your love to me."

She buried a smile in Saki's shoulder. She'll confess, defiantly, but not here. After all, there's a perfectly good cherry blossom tree at the school that prefect for the moment.

* * *

 _Here's my attempt at writing romance! So after every week/arc there will be a little Weekend Interlude for funsie, probably a one person perspective scenes. Another thing, there will be no update next week so I have more time to prepare the next week/arc and the next interlude. This whole week break after an interlude thing might be a recurrence solely to give me more time for the future chapters._

 _Edit: I ship Sakokona. They're great so I wrote them in a healthy relationship. I added more sass and sarcasm for Saki cuz I love her._

 _Thanks for reading!_

 _Next Chapter - Start of Week Two: (Alternative/Unofficial Title): Plot and More Character Development!_

 _But really, the chapter is called Storm Warning._


	6. Storm Warning

START OF WEEK TWO

It is Monday and a week ago, Ayano killed Midori who came back to life.

She now knows the reason.

Midori Gurin is (surprise, surprise) not human.

She is a clone created by Kaga Kusha, the mad scientist of the school who wants world domination. So yeah, that makes sense just don't think about it too much. Besides, that science and biology stuff just goes above Ayano's head.

Info-chan explained it as best as she could over the weekend, catching Ayano up to speed so to speak.

 _"Midori Gurin is one of the many clones that Kaga Kusha made. For how long and how many and the reason, I have no clue. I'm not even sure if there even is an original Midori. Kuga and I have been working together, unofficial in a way, since the beginning of the school year and all that he asks for me is to withhold information of him and Midori from not only the school but from external fractions, his word choice not mine._

 _Ayano, you killed Midori and he knows. He's been monitoring you through me and I can't make any more excuses that you haven't been contacting me or that you're not a threat to him and whatever plan he has. But he sent more Midori's after you; you're on his radar and apart of his master scheme now just like me._

 _If he ever approaches you, offer you something, do not accept it. It is not worth it Ayano, even if he offers or threatens Taro. It'll just blow up in your face. Well I guess this segways into what blew up in my face._

 _Kaga and I have hacked into some sensitive documents. The owner of said documents has hired a hit team to eliminate us. I know that Kuga will use me as a scapegoat so I ask this favor of you, protect me and stall for time, long enough for me to think of a way out of this mess."_

That was a lot to process in one night so some time later, Info texted this, _"I know that this is all crazy and I'm asking you for something that may kill you but I will understand if you want to get as far away as possible from this. Regardless if you decide to help me or not, I'll try my damn best to get Kaga's clones off your back because I do care about you Ayano."_

The burner phone felt heavy in her hands as she reread the messages, pondering on what the hell she should do. She helped Kokona out with something insanely illegal without her even asking and now Info is asking her for protection from a hit team for her mess with Kaga.

That was enough information to make Ayano want to nope out.

But she's known Info for the past months and honestly, Ayano would consider Info, a girl she has never met and started a partnership through a range of potentially illegal acts to super illegal acts, as a friend. (As pathetic as that sounds)

Ayano agreed to help with a 'fuck it' attitude which she might regret later.

The girls both agreed that it'll be too suspicious for them to meet in real life, if anything it'll be unsafe with Kaga monitoring Ayano, Ayano being only known to befriend Kokona and to some extent Saki, and a hit team infiltrating the school.

Said hit team is the most concerning and worrying thing so far. While Kuga was a semi-known enemy, these guns for hire are a mystery to Info.

All she was able to find on them is that they go by the name Nemesis. Her assumptions are that they have a range of specialists of all fields of combat and ability. She's hoping that they're a quality over quantity type of team but that doesn't reassure Ayano as she heads to school on Monday morning.

A killer walks on this campus and it is not Ayano Aishi.

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Hanako has been poking his cheek all weekend, not fooled by his 'sickness' and telling him to get off his lazy bum and go to school. She has tried to get her brother to talk about his problems but Taro Yamada remained silent.

She's a loving and good little sister but Taro just couldn't tell her because she'll be torn up. She and Osana got along very well when they were little and if she finds out that they fought, Hanako will feel terrible, not knowing whose side to take or if she has to pick a side but feel guilty about it, and Taro couldn't let that happened. This is his issue, not hers.

It felt kind of weird getting to school without Osana around. He'll always enjoy her company but there was always something odd about her behavior that Taro just couldn't place, like she's trying to be someone else. One moment they're talking about their favorite books, the next Osana is yelling at him.

Maybe he just doesn't understand girls.

But he knows Osana Najime and whether she believes it or not she has changed.

She's always been caring to him and Hanako, wanting to a leader in their games and he happily goes along, and there are times where she's quiet and calm. The yelling and complaining at him was a new thing that gradually became a routine. He's late sometimes, sure, but no one is flawless and punctual. Then whenever he says something kind of cheesy and romantic, Osana gets easily embarrassed and tells him to shut up.

At first it was cute and bashful of her but for some reason the yelling just… increased.

Osana looks genuinely angry and frustrated and Taro doesn't know how to make her feel better. He lets her cool off by herself but he doesn't know how to help her out because he's usually the source of her frustration.

Did he make Osana into this way?

Taro doesn't know.

"Um, Senpai?" He looks up from his book, finally snapped out of his thoughts. Today he opted to have lunch inside at one of the tables by the vending machines, away from the crowded fountain and possible Osana. It's just him and a girl with short brown hair, wearing a light blue or grayish bandana.

"Hi," he says carefully, trying to recognizing her face.

The girl has a nervous smile but a nice one nonetheless and in her hands is a small pot. "I'm Amai. I heard that you were sick last week so I made you some soup to feel better."

Instantly there was a ting of guilt in Taro. Well he wasn't necessarily sick and is a mental health day the right thing to say?

"Thank you Amai, you didn't really need to-" He cut himself off, realizing, "Oh you're Amai Odayaka. I bought cookies from your bake sale."

She set the pot on the table, setting up two small bowls and spoons, "You remember that? Ah yes, it was your sister that wanted five boxes of each flavor. It was flattering really."

"Again, thanks for giving me a discount that day," he laughed. That was an interesting day for the brother, trying to care for a sugar rushed child. "You um, do you normally cook soup for people?"

"If I have the right ingredients in the school's kitchen," she shrugged serving them soup and sat right next to him. "Sometimes it's just small snacks I leave on people's desks but you looked like you needed something warm and some company too."

Taro said another thanks and tried the soup. It was quite delicious and he's been hungry since the last thing he ate was one buttered toast and he forgot to pack lunch. Amai was really nice and polite, taking about the soup recipe and future dishes that she wants to make, even giving him cooking tips when he admitted to setting the stove on fire.

This was really nice for him, getting his mind off of Osana.

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Saki Miyu didn't quite know what exactly was going on.

She just wanted to spend lunch with her not-quite-but-obviously-is girlfriend, Kokona Haruka. Well, she can't say girlfriend officially because knowing Kokona, she wants to do a confession on Friday so Saki will be patient.

They were having lunch with Ayano sitting by the fountain and well, Kokona also invited Osana Najime.

She assumed at first that they didn't know each other but a minute in, things have been more than awkward. Ayano spent the entire time staring at Osana.

…Did she blink at all?

Kokona did most of the talking. As sweet as she is, befriending both of the girls, Saki could tell that bringing them to the same place wasn't a good idea. There was just some tension between them with Ayano being awfully chilly and Osana being snappy.

"I think this blue or this pink would look really good on you Ayano," Kokona, bless her, ignored the tension and gave Ayano a makeup kit, pointing at different shades of eyeshadow with Ayano looking mildly interested but grateful.

"You should give the black shade a try," Osana adds. Ayano went back to staring at her so Osana snaps, "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Ayano shrugged.

Osana didn't like that answer. Her fists began to shake and she glared at the three of them. "You three were there on Thrusday. Do you all just pity me?"

Simultaneously, Saki said a long "Eh?" unsurely, Kokona said "No, well um maybe" nervously, and Ayano said "Not in the slightest" dully.

Again, Osana didn't like the answers. She looked like she wants to throw her lunch at them from the looks of her grip on the bento box. "I don't need your pity or your company. I'm fine with being alone."

"That's a lie," Ayano states. "You were miserable on Friday without Senpai and today you bolt away at the sight of him."

"Have you been watching me?!"

"It's not every day that the Osana Najime is alone and quiet." There was a small glimpse of a smile on Ayano that Saki barely caught. "People might have already wondered if you did something to Senpai."

"If _I_ did something? What happened wasn't my-!" She stopped herself, seeing three judging faces and realizing what she was about to say. Her face was red and she angrily pointed at Ayano, "I don't need you reminding me of what I did. I fucked up, that's on me. But don't act like you're the one to be my demon." Then she pointed to Kokona, "Or a shoulder for me to cry on."

"Okay, hold up," Saki says because Osana did _not_ just do that. "Ayano being bitchy is one thing to get mad at but for Kokona being friendly to you? No, just no. Osana, we may not get the full story of you and Taro but all we did get is that you need to work on basic communication. Ayano, you too," Saki's not going to ignore how Ayano seemed to like to grill Osana and call out her shit. She knows little of Ayano but enough to know that she's as lonely as Osana right now.

Ayano has been glaring at Saki ever since she called her a bitch. She remained silent and crossed her arms, not denying her need for some basic communication and companionship.

"There's nothing wrong with humility and messing up, as long as you improve yourself." Saki hopes that makes any sense. She's just spouting sentimental life lessons that sound aesthetic.

To her relief, Osana looks calmer, hopefully accepting her words.

Kokona looks at her with raised eyebrows and a little smug smile, knowing that Saki bullshit those words. It wasn't the first time Saki says something like this, the opportunity doesn't arise so often, but Kokona just knows. Saki flashed a smile at her.

"Alright, I'm sorry Kokona for yelling at you. I just, I don't know, lost my best friend and the whole thing is my fault and," Osana sighed, playing with her hair. "Can we not talk about this?"

No, is what Saki wanted to say. Osana has probably been plagued with doubts and insults over the weekend. On second thought, maybe she does need a distraction from her thoughts. They were all barely friends so might as well start here.

"Yeah okay," Saki nodded. Kokona still looked concerned but nodded too, giving Osana a smile then changing the topic to some cooking stuff.

Saki shot a glance to Ayano who also seemed to chill down a bit. She did give Saki a quick huff, still a little ticked at the bitch comment, which is fair but hey Ayano shouldn't be excused either. As annoying as Osana can be, that was a low blow for Ayano to kick her when she's down and sad.

So she stuck her tongue out at her.

Ayano's brows twitched and she did the same thing in return.

"What are you two doing? Licking the air?" Osana mocked. She shoved her bento lunch at them. "Here taste this and tell Kokona that I used a good amount of seasoning."

"Excuse you but who here is in the Cooking Club?"

Saki popped a sushi roll down the hatch, "Don't worry babe, I'm on your side."

Osana had her feathers ruffled up too much today and Saki couldn't help but snicker at her pout.

"It's not as bad as I thought it'll be," was Ayano's answer, chewing still. "But it's not great either."

"Hey at least say you're on my side!"

Ayano shrugged, "I don't know. Split your lunch with me and you might get an answer."

"Ha, if you're eating my cooking then you must like it!"

The black haired girl ate another roll, "Nah, I should eat more to be convinced."

Kokona and Saki looked at each other, trying not to be loud with their giggles.

"Oh shut up!"

They giggled and laughed louder.

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"And again!"

 _BAM_

"Again!"

 _BAM_

"That one was better but remember to strike the force with your palm and try keep your hand straightened." Budo placed the training sac down, well it's really a sturdy, foam filled cylinder but the club fondly calls it a sac or a dummy. He then stood next to Ayano and slowly demonstrated the palm heel strike move again. It was only her right hand that gets shaken out of place, the one that got bandaged last week.

As promised, Budo hasn't asked about how his newest disciple got hurt but at least she healed up over the weekend. She was also eager to start learning, even demanding to have early practice before the rest of the club shows up. Budo happily obliged but said no to her request of extended practice. He just wasn't that comfortable with being alone with a girl in after school hours, it just felt awkward for him.

"Ha!" Ayano did another strike, this time her hand did not quiver.

Eager to learn and eager to be strong, Budo can't help but be in awe of her. Ayano Aishi was completely focused when he started her first lesson, keen eyes on memorizing the stances, listened to Budo's tips about how to not accidently hurt yourself, and sadly there was desperation to be perfect.

"Martial arts are about personal growth and knowing your strength and what to do with it," he told her. "It's not about being the strongest."

Ayano nodded but he wasn't sure if she cared about his message. Budo continued with the lesson, specifically her request on learning how to counter someone stronger than her. Given her recovering state, he thought nothing wrong about that request, a little worried but not suspicious.

"This is called aikido. You basically use your opponent's momentum and strength against them," Budo began to demonstrate some techniques he knew, having Ayano follow his movements. They did a few practice rounds of him faux attacking Ayano, telling where he's putting the weight of his body and how to deflect it and move the momentum around her. After a couple of tries she seemed to get it down.

"So, this is another way to dodge?"

"In a way, yeah. It doesn't require a lot of muscle but you have to be careful and smooth with the movement. Just enough time to run away or prepare for another attack." He gave her a strict look, "You better not get into a fight, Ayano. I know some other club members got all confident with a few practices but in the end they landed themselves in the nurse's office."

She looked away from him, "I told you, I'm here to get stronger and…"

"And you wanted company," he filled in. Budo bit the inside of his cheek. It was like he was invading her privacy despite that she already told him this. "But hey, the girl that walked you here is your friend right?"

Ayano now had a distressed frown and she waved her hand frazzled and confused. "I-I don't, I honestly don't know?"

Looks like all her focus is gone and Budo sensed that she needs to vent. He grabbed two water bottles and led her to sit down on the edge of the training mats.

She took a swig of water and continued. "I couldn't stand her, I thought I hated her because she was in my way but now that she's not, well, I shouldn't be even considered as her friend of all things right?"

"Honestly," he said when Ayano turned to him for a desperate answer, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Scowling, she grumbled, "We have a crush on the same boy. And I hated her for that but now she lost her chance with him. I see her and I'm glad that she lost but then we talked and that loathing I had of her, it felt underwhelming. I actually thought things would get violent if we ever talked but that didn't happen." Her eyebrows squinted. "I wanted to hate her but I saw her being all sad and lonely and I thought she was, ya know, pathetic as hell."

Budo pressed his lips together. Um, usually, people would feel empathic and then probably offer comfort. But hey, Ayano's still working through this. She'll have her own pace. He's already seeing the parallels between her and the other girl.

"But now you talked to her. So how do you feel about her now?"

"That loathing and hating I said, it all feels underwhelming. Like there's no use or reason to hate her anymore because she's no longer with the boy. And also…" Ayano took a while to muse over her thoughts, "It felt meaningless to bring her any more misery."

"Well," he clapped, "The way I see it, since you don't hate her anymore, you can try befriending her. I mean remember the reason why you joined this club."

They stayed quiet after that. Soon the other club members were arriving for their scheduled practice meeting. Like Budo thought, Ayano was the main buzz for the members, all ready to get to know her better (and they better not pull an initation). While they all talked to her, he steered away from the crowd and stood by the door, greeting his friends that were coming in late.

And like on Friday, Kaga Kusha came by.

"Ah, Budo," the scientist waved, "A word before your practice starts. Can I do another brain scan on you? Now that I explained the project to you, I theorized that there might be a change in the data. Also I wanted a new fresh scan to work on as well."

"Sure, sounds alright. Just come by after okay?"

"Okay, thanks again," Kaga glanced at the rest of the club then froze. "Is that Ayano?"

Budo tilted his head, "Uh, yeah, you saw her here last week. What did you think they'll scare her off?"

Kaga took a sharp intake of air and even started to look a little paler than usual. "I thought I saw her earlier elsewhere in the school." He gave Budo a sheepish smile and now looked normal. "I guess I was wrong."

The Martial Arts Club President stared at Kaga as he walked away. That didn't feel right. He knows Kuga long enough that saying that he was wrong about something was… wrong.

If anything, Kaga is rarely wrong about anything, doing his best to always be right.

Kaga probably hates it when he's wrong.

Hmm, there was a lot of the use of the word wrong it now sounded strange in Budo's mind. It's like one of those times where you repeat a word and it slowly loses it stability as a word itself. Whatever. Budo shrugs and goes to start club practice.

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"Okei-doki! Will do. Oh!" Midori Gurin used a hand to make half of a binocular. She would've had a full one but she needed to hold her phone. "I see her right now!"

With a click, she ended the call and made her way to Ayano Aishi. Once again with orders to attack but hmm, did Kaga tell her to not to kill?

Midori did end the call maybe a little _too_ early.

Her tongue poked the gap in her front row teeth.

Eh, she's sure that Kaga wouldn't mind. Besides, a little revenge was in order.

Little Miss Murder (aka Ayano "Meanie" Aishi) ((calling her Ayano "Asshole" Aishi was bit too much)) (((but then again she is an asshole))) had just took the staircase up so Midori followed, creeping like creep. Creeping crawling!

She had her silent creeping stance all perfect, taking big slow steps with the tips of her toes and her arms were bent like a T-Rex. Ayano didn't seem to notice at all (perfecto!) and continued walking down the empty hall. The green gal with a smart pal like the nine thousand Hal is gaining ground on her prey.

One step, another, and Midori is ready to pounce and snap that bitch's neck-!?(!)

 _"SENPAI 3 NOTICE ME!"_

…Her ringtone went off…

Ayano whipped around and glared at Midori. In that second, Midori saw how Ayano carried herself, more boldly and straight but with no tension. Before, Ayano had a more instinctive, sloppy, and quick approach to attacking all rushed and heated.

In front of her stood someone with experience and a whole lot of muscle and if Midori had more time, she'll drool over those lean calves and thighs and there were some serious muscles on this girl. (Her arms are ripped!)

But Midori didn't have another second.

And this girl wasn't Ayano.

"You're not-"

Midori's wrist was pulled by the other girl and bent it backwards, tightly. The nails dug into her skin when she poked the other girl's nose with her free hand. "You're not Ayano."

She glared at her, "Why do you want to kill Ayano Aishi?"

"Kill? Nah," she blew a raspberry, tugging her write away but Fake Ayano didn't budge. "You can let me go now."

"Your eyes say otherwise." Her grip on Midori tightened and Midori can feel the blood stop flowing. "I know a hostile when I see one." She began to crush the wrist and Midori watch, fascinated, as the bones were pressed with immense strength.

"Wow," says Midori, watching her wrist get broken. The pain was long and it felt like needles were japing the bones all at once and pop goes her wrist. She flops it out of the girl's hand, shaking it. "This will be fun."

Midori used her good, right hand to punch the other's face but she caught it.

She _caught_ it?

Her eyes darted between her fist and the girl who had the barest hint of a smirk.

Damn.

(That's kind of hot!)

Midori slapped her with her other hand, ya know that one with a broken wrist. It wasn't very effective but it did surprise her! Despite of the intense pain, Midori laughed.

The fake girl still had her other hand caught and twisted her arm around and then head butted Midori right in the nose. Blood overtook Midori's sense of smell, even clogging her nostrils. The girl tugged harshly and Midori was even more disorientated as she was pulled over the girl's ducked head, a hand clasped around her knee, and she used momentum and strength to throw Midori over her shoulder and flip Midori harshly on her back.

"Damn, that's kind of hot," mumbles out of Midori as her attacker stands over her.

"Thank you," said the fake girl to the other fake girl.

Before she could to anything, Midori sprang up and went in for a series of punches. All which were blocked, deflected off, or dodged. She kept dodging and weaving around Midori's punches and even her kicks too, completely on defense.

Midori was wearing herself down and when she realized that this was going nowhere, she ran. She feint a punch and ran. As she was chased she tried to make sense of the situation.

There was a fake, bulky Ayano who registered Midori as a threat. All signs point to 'not good' and that Kaga's little thing he did with Info-chan is not going away without consequences.

The school was mostly cleared out and by their speeds it's only a matter of seconds before she's caught. In her path is one of the many windows that face the side of the school.

…This is a bad idea.

The green haired fake human put in a last ditch effort for acceleration. She isn't human, Midori reminded. She's of the newest batch of Midori's that now have the reactionary sensory enhancements. If she does this right, she'll land good enough to run to a hatch entrance.

Her pursuer caught up to her side right when they reached the front of the window. Midori expected her to grab her or try to stop herself but instead she was right behind, still running, and pushes Midori.

Midori's Kusha (Trade Mark) cranium was dense enough and the other girl's strength was perfect for them to both go crashing through the second story window.

 _CRASH!_

It happened all too fast for even Midori's enhanced brain to process. They were in freefall for such a short time frame but the other girl was fast enough to do something. She felt the other maneuver them so that Midori would cushion her fall with her curling up in a ball behind Midori's back and there was a hand pushing her head downwards, making sure that the first thing that hits the ground is Midori's forehead.

 _THUD!_

This is not a pretty impact.

She felt like a broken doll. There was no feeling or response from her limps other than mind numbing pain, her bones were screaming with agony, and there was a weight of someone getting off her back. Glass shards nip her skin as she tried to twitch and the chill sensation of blood was spilling out of her. Midori lifted her head up that even that took a great effort.

The other girl stood with some glass cuts on her but then again it wasn't her that took the blunt of the fall. She was in better conditions and gave Midori a curious stare as she took out a small, black device from her pocket and put it in her ear.

A button was pressed and she says, "Nemesis, I've found the mission objective and proceeding with protocol. I request an immediate custodian call for collateral damage." She picked up the broken Midori in her arms. "Heading to the designated location with the objective and will be ready for retrieval."

* * *

 _I had so much fun writing Midori's scene, her perspective and personality is so cartoonish and fun and wacky. So now we are moving into some plot heavy chapters that the summary provided! This will be fun!_

 _This is Week/Arc Two and there will be plot to dive into!_

 _Edit: Fix capitalization and some sentences which should sound better._

 _Thanks for reading!_

 _Next Chapter: Precaution Measures_


	7. Precaution Measures

Kaga Kusha is a damn genius.

No question or doubt about it. Love him or hate him, he'll always be smarter than anyone in this school. And then one day he'll have it – world domination.

But one step at a time, it's only Tuesday.

One of those steps to get through is this Nemesis problem.

It's one thing for Ayano Aishi to kill his projects but for this organization to _steal_ and _study_ his work?

No.

 _No._

This cannot happen.

He tried to call Midori when he saw the real Ayano but nothing happened. Later, his computer only confirmed his worries when it shows that Midori's phone signal had died out and her tracking chip beeped off the moment she was out of campus.

They have her. They have _his work and it's only a matter of time before-_

 _"No!"_ Kaga stood up from his seat, slamming his hands on the console and glaring at the monitors that read of Midori's untraceable chip.

"They have her," the next Midori said, "Her chip wasn't terminated. It was turned off."

"No," he repeated softly and sunk back down in his chair. "They have her for proximity sixteen hours. That's not enough to figure out her biology, I made sure of it. Her identity on the other hand is much more fragile."

Midori kicked the floor lightly and sighed, "I get it, no school for me today."

"Right, Midori, I need time to figure this out."

"You don't have a lot of time though. It's almost been seventeen hours." Midori then walked out of Kaga's computer room, "I'll just go through my chores and the usual testing procedures."

His laugh was small, short, and tired, "You hate chores."

"Just say thank you, Mr. Brain!"

He called out exactly that and returned his attention to the monitors.

Yesterday was going all smoothly until he sent the hit on Ayano. His fist balled up. He kept a close eye on this Nemesis persons and he thought that if provoking Ayano again would lead them to find her as a distraction from their true goal. But no, things weren't going according to plan.

He and Info-chan found out about the Nemesis hit team from once again hacking into the emails of a certain CEO. Or, at least, his anonymous email account for his ties to the dark web. From that the name of Nemesis came to knowledge, promising to send a single, disguised agent to find the hacker and following the request to kill them.

Said hackers with targets on their backs tried to find anything they could learn about Nemesis. Info says that she found vague files about their existence and honestly he truly doesn't doubt that she's withholding information.

Him on the other hand, well, he is guilty of hiding one of his findings. Kaga knows about Ayano's recent misadventure with a traumatized Musume Ronshaku but on Monday, the Social Butter was true to her status, all smiles and sunshine. A quick recon from Midori reported that the daughter of the loan shark was currently sobbing and hyperventilating at home.

So imagine his surprise when the agent switched her disguise.

Kaga pressed his fingers together, staring at the monitors again. A few screens were a map of the whole town reading no trace to the missing Midori, the same thing applies to another screen's global map. Most of the others displayed the diagnoses of his current projects in alpha and beta testing. The one right in front of him was the home screen desktop, waiting to be used.

Class is about to start but he won't he late. He was almost out the door when a notification popped up on the screen.

…Oh, he thought as he read it and the gears in his head began to whirl.

This might be perfect.

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[]

 _BA-DING_

 _"Attention students and staff,"_ the loud speaker buzzes to life. _"This is your principal speaking. Yesterday after school there was an incident leading to a window on the second floor to be broken. Please steer clear of that area for the time being before and when the window gets repairs."_

Instantly, the classrooms were filled with chatter, wondering what supposedly happened to the window. The ideal reason would be that a stray ball hit it but the President of the Sports Club, Asu Rito, says that she double checked on the storage units. Nothing was out of place nor was anything missing. Also Asu was leading a small team of runners around the track at that time. They were the first ones to find the broken glass and some blood there too.

The teachers told them that everything will be taken cared of so Asu assumed that surely the police will be involved but no authorities came by that afternoon or this morning. The athletes that were with Asu all shared their worries to the rest of the student body, wondering where were the police and whose blood is it.

Even throughout class, it was all on the students' mind, barely focusing on their lessons (something that the teachers were already used to). So many questions and so little answers, everyone was clueless with the small evidence they had.

Not even Info-chan had a clear idea on what happened.

She theorized it with Ayano after their first class, sending facts of Midori being absence and that if the police aren't involved maybe the Nemesis group has interfered in some fashion.

Ayano Aishi just sent an emoji with its lips as a straight line.

Great, this is the person she entrusted her life to, a socially stunted teenaged murderer.

Has she gone desperate?

Oh, most certainly not.

Desperation is working with Kaga Kusha and his… _atrocious_ plans. She's done her background check on Kaga before he got her on his leash and she's read his notes. It's all an abstract concept for now but if he was able to play God by creating the Midori clones then it is only a matter of time and resources before…

No, Info had a tight hold on her phone, thinking about the missing link of Kaga's plan. She knows that the link will not cooperate with the likes of him.

But she's been wrong before.

And she cooperated with the likes of him.

If she was dragged down into this mess then it probably that Kaga will do the same with other for his benefit in the long run.

…She needs to stay calm and think.

Around her is her classmates, listening or not to their teacher but there's that undeniable nervousness in the air. The principal's announcement and Asu's account made everyone jumpy or freaked a bit out. Some rumored that it was all the delinquents' fault but that was quickly stomped out by them and their Leader, glaring at anyone who dares accuses them for something so little. Everyone knew they were telling the truth, the delinquents always prided and credited their destruction.

Her gut is telling her that it was Midori who encountered Nemesis at the broken window and it's the only logical conclusion. She checked the data bases of the police station and there was no recent blood check or even official report of an officer checking out the school.

As for the record of Midori's body, well she'll wait for Kaga to confirm her thoughts, let him crawl to her.

 _"Good morning Info-chan,"_ the fiend texts her in the middle of her second class.

Now, she wouldn't have the title of Info-chan, the mysterious info broker that keeps that anonymous nature if she doesn't know how to text in class would she? It helps throw off people's guesses on whether or not she's a student with her sometimes texting large amounts of information during class time.

Currently her teacher is droning on about the subject, spending her time reading from the textbook or the board, giving the students the occasionally glance apparently after finishing a passage from the book. Info's got her window.

"Kaga, I have only you to think of during the principal's announcement."

 _"Oh woe is me. I am not the one to blame."_ He added another text, _"Well, not completely."_

The teacher looked back to the students, giving another example and this time from memory. That's cute. Info made sure to act the part of an awake and alert student while her hands typed. "Get to the point Kaga, what can I help you with? Covering up for you again?"

 _"Well you did such a brilliant job last time,"_ Info almost cringed at that, _"making sure that our trace wasn't obtainable from our target but behold, there's an assassin in our midst."_

"An assassin you say. I hope it was their blood that was found at the scene."

Kaga didn't reply that immediate. _"There's an unscheduled student council meeting set for the ending half of lunch. Want to know what's being discussed?"_

That wasn't meant as a question or an invitation. Info knows this is a demand.

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[]

So Midori is gone for the day, Info still doesn't have a plan to stop Kaga, Osana is still questioningly tolerable, and Saki was not subtle when telling Kokona and the other two girls that she and her best friend are off having a private lunch.

That leaves Ayano Aishi having lunch with Osana Najime.

Of course it felt like Saki was tormenting her by dragging Kokona, the person Ayano verbally talks to the most without any malice, away when she and Osana meet up with them for lunch. It was like Kokona was adopting stray, badly communicating kittens and Saki went 'nope, time for us now'.

"Nope, time for us now," Saki literally says and grabs Kokona's hand, walking her away from their spot by the main fountain.

Ayano glanced over to Osana and she returned the look.

Things weren't as horrible as Ayano had thought.

Initially, she felt some pleasure knowing that Osana is no longer a rival. It was fun, poking at her soreness over losing Senpai. Oddly, that feeling didn't last too long. A rival for Senpai's heart is eliminated but it wasn't by Ayano's doing.

Hmm, maybe that's why Ayano stopped feeling smug.

Like she told Budo, it felt meaningless to add to Osana's misery. There was no guilt, that's true, and it was more like there was no gain from bullying her because she's no longer that significant. Significant either to Osana or to Taro, she didn't know the answer.

Ayano thought back to the first time she killed Midori. There was an adrenaline rush and the satisfaction of killing Midori for being merely talking to Taro. But for Osana, well the sabotage did nothing at all to them. It was like Osana's and Taro's life can just move on without her. Almost as if anything Ayano does to affect Taro's life is meaningless and that _he doesn't need her._

"Hey," Osana interrupts her thoughts, "Stop spacing out and ignoring me." She shoves a bento box into Ayano's lap. It's the same spare bento box once meant for Taro. Maybe this time there's poisen here. When Ayano stared questionably at Osana, she points chopsticks at her, "Look, I just need someone here to tell Kokona that I am a good cook."

Ayano took a bite of the food, "It tastes a little bit worse than last time."

"I know you're lying! You like my cooking, just admit it!"

"Nah," she continues to eat the lunch, denying the weird warm feeling in her gut and believing it's just from the warm rice. Huh, no poisen at all, just some regular food. "I just so happen to not have lunch today."

"That is so irresponsible of you. Since you joined the Martial Arts Club, you should take better care of your body. Otherwise, you'll just collapse during a match or whatever."

"Are you really concern over me?"

Osana fiddled with her chopsticks while Ayano continued eating, "I'm just so used to reminded people to take care of their selves, like the Yamada siblings. And also there's you, some makeup job from Kokona may trick people from afar but up close, I saw that black eye."

"Don't you dare pity me," is her instant response.

"Not in the slightest," Osana says, repeating Ayano's own words in a poor, lazy imitation. "So I might care a little bit about you. That can't be so hard to comprehend."

The old fantasies of her killing Osana popped into Ayano's mind. "Kind of." She looked down at the lunch Osana made just for her, "You didn't seem like the person to quickly be nice to me."

She stared at Ayano, narrowing her eyes but it wasn't harsh. "Well, you seem quick to judge me. Sure I kind of get that you picked Taro's side after seeing our fight but you're quite defensive over someone you've never talked to."

"We, Senpai and I, me and Senpai," Ayano flustered over her words, "He talked to me once and he was really nice and, and." Her face burned which was different. Usually, she was light-headed and her heartbeat was loud and fast, numbing out any or all noise that could have distracted her thoughts of Taro. But now, Osana's stare was uncomfortable and unavoidable and _someone you've never talked to-_

 _Does Sepai not act like he knew her?_

 _Does Senpai not remember how they met?_

 _Does Senpai not notice her existence?_

 _Does Senpai not need her like how she desperately craves his existence and how he's the first one who gave her all this warmth and emotions?_

 _Does Senpai… Does_ Taro Yamada _not-_

"Okay Ayano I think I get it," Osana, again, snaps her out of her thoughts and the girl looks more concerned. "Taro makes a great first impression and is a generally good guy. That's what makes him instantly likable."

"Yeah…" She continued eating, just to avoid talking not because the food is good. They stayed quiet for a bit since talking about Taro is awkward for the both of them for similar yet contrasting reasons.

Eventually, Osana asks, "So how did you get that black eye?"

"A bitch punched me. She was stronger than I thought."

"You joined the club just to fight her again."

She sighed, "Don't tell Budo but I think I'll end up fighting her again."

"Okay," Osana promises, "I'll be rooting for you when you fight."

[]

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[]

 _Establishing connection…_

 _…Connecting…_

 _Connected_

 _Live Feed: Recording Start – [00:00:01]_

The meeting began when the President of the Student Council took a deep breath and opened the video call.

"Hello everyone," Megami Saikou sits straight in her chair, looking at the anxious faces beyond the camera. "I have called this emergency meeting today to inform you all of… recent changes within the school."

That response didn't calm the student council that well. They looked at each other nervously before one decided to be their lead voice.

"Megami, what changes are you talking about? We thought that this is about the broken window and the blood there."

"I'll try to explain what I know," their president said, "When I heard the news of this incident I wanted at least the police force to do an investigation but my father has restricted me to do so. I was able to persuade him otherwise but he has taken things a step further than I expected." She looked away from the camera, distracted, but then focused. "He has assigned a professional investigation team to be in the school."

The council, again, was confused, saying how no such team has even arrived on campus.

Megami frowned, "Yes, that's what I thought too but he assured me that an investigation has already begun, even as we speak."

"Wait this doesn't make any sense," another student council member said. "The principal didn't tell us this and we as the students should know that this is happening."

"That's exactly why I called this meeting," Megami said. "The principal wants this all under wraps so that the student population won't panic. While I disagree with the need for secrecy, I will support whatever method there is to keep everyone safe."

The council member that first spoken asks, "But we are safe right? It was just a broken window, why is there a secret investigation going on?"

For the first time ever, the council sees their president clearly distressed. She again looked away, biting her lip. A gloved hand kept fidgeting, clenching and unclenching. "I don't know," she admits, "I believe that the school is safe but for the reason of this investigation, I don't know."

It was dead silent in the council room.

 _ALERT_

 _[ **1** ] Unknown signal detected_

 _…Tracing now…_

The meeting continued uneasily. "Can you tell your father to call off the investigation?"

"Like I said, I will support the operation to keep the school safe but I will ask him and the principal to report their presence."

"And if that doesn't work… What next? They'll just leave right?"

Megami nodded, "Yes, I'll make sure of it."

"Cool, cool, so we got a secret investigation going on and we have no voice about it," says one council member, growing agitated. "Megami, no offense but I will not stand for this."

"This is for safety," she reasons but is cut off by a different student.

"You're the one who's safe! We on the other hand are here in this school and getting investigated!"

The person next to the frantic student raises a brow and side-glances. "There's nothing to be scared of if you don't have anything to hide."

That student settles down quietly.

 _COMPLETE_

 _[ **1** ] Unknown signal has been traced_

 _Location traced: AKADEMI HIGH SCHOOL_

 _[ **USER COMMAND** ]: launch [PROGRAM SMOKE TRAIL 5704] at [ **1** ] _

_…Launching [PROGRAM SMOKE TRAIL 5704] at [ **1** ] Unknown signal…_

A calmer council member chimes in, "I believe that this is the reason why the principal failed to enlighten us about the investigation. We all have something to hide and if someone acts out of character to protect their secret it will bring suspension to that person.

"Ya, better not act out of character," the student on the other side of the guilt ridden member says smugly and elbows the friend.

"S-shut up!"

 _COMPLETE_

 _[PROGRAM SMOKE TRAIL 5704] has been successfully launched at [ **1** ] Unknown signal_

"Ignoring that," the same calm student continues, "I have to ask. Why are you telling this to us?"

Everyone stared at Megami, questioning, worrying, doubting. She cleared her throat, likely gulping, "I want the people I trust to be aware of the situation."

"We're aware of very little," one grumbles.

"But you now know about the existence of the investigation at the very least. Don't let the principal catch on but please, do whatever you think you should do to keep the school safe. A panic might start if the students know so I do think that keeping this meeting, and what we know, as a secret is the best course of action."

The council looks amongst them, expressing a range of emotions that made Megami visibly nervous. A few even glared at her or looked sadly at the camera. Eventually, to her relief, they reached a conclusion. They all agreed, to some varying degree, that they will follow her request.

Megami said her thanks, clarified discretion, and clicked the end call button. She slouched over her desk, sighing.

 _Live Feed: Recording End – [00:05:49]_

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[]

It is a part of Ayano's daily routine to stalk Senpai home.

She just watches him and noting out of the ordinary happens. In fact, there's no other amusement from doing this, it was just too easy. Taro walks without any thought that he would ever be stalked or followed. He never carried a suspension that something bad was about to happen to him if he's all alone.

Kokona once said in passing that she always had a small paranoia that a guy would follow her home. At first Ayano shrugged it off and agreed to her fear, chalking it up to a girl thing. If Ayano continues this line of thought, there will be some social-psychology-gender-whatever lecture and analysis in her head. So that quickly fades away in favor of focusing on Senpai.

Taro Yamada, her senpai, is currently walking home from school with some brown haired girl, her newest rival.

Ayano is pissed.

The girl is easily recognized as the President of the Cooking Club, evidentially talking to Taro about said club and its activities. As they walk together, they look happy and Ayano is even more pissed.

It has been months since Ayano first met Taro and her only progress in getting into a relationship with him is by preventing any other girl from getting what she wants. But that's all for naught if she has no real conversation with him.

And look at this, some girl that barely knew Senpai is now clingy on him the moment Osana left his side.

Her earlier thoughts with Osana echoed. Ayano's life revolves around Taro but he has no idea of this. But when they finally get together he must care about her right? Just look at him, he's the most caring person in the whole school.

Surely he'll grow to love her.

He has to love her back (right?)

He is Ayano's answer for the meaning and purpose of life; the first and only person in her life that gave it meaning.

He… he is… Taro Yamada is…

 _Senpai will be a part of her life._

She continues to stalk them until they split off to different neighborhoods. She follows Senpai. He looks happy.

Usually, Ayano leaves him be when Senpai arrives home but today, she stays perched in some tree and watches him through the window. He's just a regular guy and yet he's the one who she would kill for.

From the day they met, the moment where these benevolent emotions first awaken, Ayano has decided that Taro is hers to have- _hers to need._

It was sunset when Ayano walked back to her house.

At her doorstep, someone rustled out of the flower bush. "About time you came home." The person had their head downcast with a black hoodie pulled over to obscure their face.

"Who the fuck are you?"

"Didn't you get my note in your shoe locker?"

Ayano briefly remembered finding a handwritten note there but then she saw Senpai walking out of the building with the cooking girl. Obviously, she was distracted.

"I didn't read it."

"Oh my fucking god," the hooded figure muttered, slapping a hand to their face. "Ayano it's me, Info-chan."

Without missing a beat, Ayano says, "No, she would never do this. Go away."

The figure groaned and pointed at her, "The first girl you killed on campus, you had no idea on what to do or how to handle the consequences. I found and contacted you because on your phone, you typed into the search engine on how to get away with _murder_ like the idiot you are. I gave you the information on how to get rid of the body, the blood, and the rest of the evidence and asked for nothing in return. It was all free; a demonstration of my capability."

"Huh, I guess it really is you," Ayano gave her a look over and shrugged. "Okay so what are you doing here?"

"Let's talk inside, please." At her insistence, Ayano let them inside. She sat on the couch while Info quickly pulled the curtains of the windows close. "He did it. Kaga used me as a scapegoat and I let him. I fucking did what he said and Nemesis launched a virus at me." Info sank into the couch with her hands covering, likely, her eyes but her hood is big enough for Ayano to not get a good look.

"And you're here why?"

"The virus destroyed everything on my laptop and my phone. It's all gone all my data and programs. To make things worst it's tracking all my cybernetic routes and connections to my home systems so it's only a matter of time before my house gets located. I've already checked on my computers there and from what I understand, the information is already being whipped but no one physically has broken into my place."

Ayano nodded her head, not that Info saw that. "I am not getting all this hacking shit."

"If you read my note, you would have known that I need a safe house!"

She blinked. "So you came here."

Info groaned again, louder. "Maybe I am desperate. Look Ayano, I need your help and I trust you because you have never doubted me and you're here now, willing to help and trust me."

She takes off her hood and reveals that she is a girl with red hair and black glasses.

They're both eerily silent, just staring at each other.

"I have no idea who you are," Ayano said.

Info's eye twitch, "What?"

"Okay, I get that this is a big moment here, like you're revealing your secret identity but I just have no idea who you are."

Info grinded her teeth angrily but took a deep breath, "You know what? That makes sense, all you ever payed attention to is Taro."

"That doesn't insult me one bit, you would now that."

There's a third, loud groan again. "You know what? I'm not even going to tell you my real name. Because who cares about my identity. I'm just a regular school girl with hidden agendas that no one will bother to care about! But the one person who does care about my secret is the smartest psychotic freak in the school and he's feeding me to the wolves!"

Ayano clicked her tongue, "Alright, I'm going to preheat some dinner."

"Fuck you!"

She sighs, "I'll preheat dinner for the both of us."

* * *

 _Woohoo! We are diving into plot stuff! I kind of tired and a little panicking on how I will be able to pull this off! Like, I freaking know I'll be able to do this but at the same time there's always procrastination and writer's block and general Life that doesn't give me time to write. This me blatantly saying how I'm oh so awaiting the break after the next interlude._

 _There has been a minor edit regrading the secret-secret stuff going on during that student council meeting. Yeah, that awkward spacing in the [PROGRAM] part, I tried typing it without the spacing but that didn't work so it looks like that._

 _Edit: Fixed the [PROGRAM] thing. Added small details to some scenes._

 _Anyway thanks for reading! I'm excited to share this arc with y'all because things are happening._

 _Next Chapter: Offerings_


	8. Offerings

It is early Wednesday morning and Info-chan is so happy that Ayano has a good, working coffee pot.

Nemesis' virus did a complete crash on all of her devices, both on her person when the virus was launched and her equipment at home. She did a quick check on her house right before she left for Ayano's house and from the looks of it, a system reboot won't be enough to save her computers.

Kaga Kusha and she monitored the council meeting and he must have disabled her cloaking program to expose her signal to Nemesis. This organization is beyond what Info thought was possible; using complex programs to track and destroy her system in a matter of seconds.

This is the most disastrous situation Info has ever imagined.

She is stripped of all her technology.

She is reduced to nothing.

Here she is, drowning her sorrows with black coffee in her last minute safe house.

There wasn't a guest room for her to stay in so her night was spent staring at the ceiling from the couch and even now in the wee hours of the morning she sits. Ayano's house did resemble a safe house in one aspect, it looks barren.

Only a few pictures of the Aishi family were placed in the living room but it didn't feel welcoming. The kitchen was only stocked with microwaved products and few vegetables or raw meat for home cook meals, all of it resembling a life of a college student barely surviving on their own.

Like with Kaga, Info did a background check on Ayano. It was curious to learn that her motivation to kill is for a one Taro Yamada, for the pursuit and satisfying feelings that he gives her. On a psychology level, Info can get some grasp on the person that Ayano is. On a personal level, well Info can see how loneliness itself can be a motivation.

Ayano explained to her last night that her parents were away on a vacation trip and that they wouldn't care if Info was staying. Having parents gone for a long period of time is not surprising to Info, maybe a parental or familial absence is a leading factor for Ayano's personality.

Info sipped her coffee and stared at a picture of Ayano's parents, both frozen with happiness. Ayano really did take from her mother but seeing her radiant smile compared with the constant frown on Ayano made things a bit strange, like if Ayano really did accomplish her goal with Taro, she'll end up just exactly like her mom.

…Ayano's mother, Ryoba Aishi.

Hmm, the past is repeating and if things follow that path then maybe trusting Ayano really is a desperate and dangerous idea.

"Why the fuck are you up at four?" Ayano sleepily walked in.

"I'm still thinking of a way to get Nemesis off my trail. Digitally I'm done for but in reality they still haven't found me." Info gestured to the kitchen countertop, "There's still hot coffee in the pot."

She lugged her way to the coffee, like it is a mediocre meaning of life.

"I didn't think I made too much noise to wake you."

Ayano sat by her, coffee in hand, "I'm not used to hearing anyone else in the house, so I guess alertness woke me up."

"How long have your parents been away?"

She shrugged. The question didn't seem to distress her too much but Info could swear that her grip on the coffee mug shook a tiny bit.

"So what's your plan, just hide away in my house?"

Info swirled the little amount of coffee in its mug, "No I have to go to school to not raise any suspension and I also have to ignore you as usual. Nemesis is advancing their move on Kaga and me, now more aware of our presence from yesterday, but the thing is I think they only have evidence that their target is solely me. I fit the profile of hacking their client and also hacking into a secret student council meeting." At the barest hint of interest in Ayano's face, she explains, "Megami also knows about Nemesis on campus but it's all hush-hush. I'm not sure how or if she'll intervene or if she'll help or hinder us in the process."

"Alright," Ayano sipped, "Just tell me your plan when you actually have one."

Info grumbled another curse.

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[]

So when Osana accused her of only befriending her for pity, she wasn't entirely wrong.

Kokona Haruka just has a lot of feelings okay? One of those feelings just happens to be pity for Osana when that fight occurred and honestly it was hard to watch.

Maybe it sounded a bit selfish but, Osana and Taro fighting, two people who were always seen together with those will-they-won't-they rumors, it made her think that if they could end up fighting then she and Saki could also end up like that as well. It just crossed her mind during the fight because it's a possibility. Kokona kept quiet about her struggles and that left Saki frustrated that she wasn't trusted enough but things worked out for them.

As for Osana Najime, she was just so sad when she was all alone.

That's why Kokona invited her for lunch, not just for pity but for empathy, sympathy, and maybe other words that end with pathy. She wasn't sure but she is certain that she can befriend and help Osana. And then at the lunch, well, she didn't think that Ayano and Osana would be so tense but fortunately Saki was able to defuse the situation.

Apparently, Saki's idea of leaving them alone was a good one. By today, the two girls seem to get along. Although Kokona didn't quite understand one thing, why are they both glaring at her Cooking Club President?

Kokona had invited her small group of friends into the Cooking Clubroom with permission of Amai and they were trying out a few of her newest dishes, fresh and piping hot. Amai was there preparing another meal for lunch. Her friends were waiting at the main table. Saki was already munching on the fried vegetables Kokona cooked but Ayano and Osana took their time to finally stop glaring at her president.

"Will you girls stop that," Kokona hissed quietly at them, taking the seat next to Saki and in front of Osana. Osana had the decency to look a tad guilty and knock it off with a small apology but Ayano grumbled something incoherent but didn't stop glaring. "I'm being serious Ayano."

This time, Ayano sighed and cast her eyes down to the dishes Kokona whipped up.

"Ah, is this the enemy of my enemy is my friend dealio?" Saki took a glance over her shoulder at Amai, blissfully unaware of the glares.

"More or less," Osana offered.

That didn't make any sense to Kokona and she was about to say so until the clubroom's door opened and in walked Taro Yamada. His eyes instantly went to Osana and there was an obvious little twitch in his movement, like he wanted to get out and immediately slam the door and act like nothing happened. Amai either ignored or didn't sense the awkwardness in the room. Instead she carried a bento lunch set for two and walked out with Taro, their arms linked together.

"Oh," Kokona said, looking at Osana's frown and Ayano's scowl. _"Oh."_

"We saw them together this morning," Ayano explained, stabbing a fork into a tempera veggie.

"And you're both petty about this?" Saki asked.

"I am not petty," Osana defends and Ayano bumps her shoulder and says at the same time, "She's so petty."

"No, you shut up," she points at Ayano and gives her attention to Kokona and Saki. "Look, I was never against Taro not making other friends. I am not petty or jealous but I just fucking hate the timing."

"Just a few seconds ago, you were glaring at my club president who is a pretty sweet person."

Osana stuffs some food in her mouth, "I don't have to be the bigger person."

A balled up napkin was thrown at Osana's forehead. Saki crosses her arms and leans back, very unimpressed, "You're being the lesser person here. This is like when Ayano was being a prick to you, you're both on Taro's side and against any girl that's close to him."

"Eh, yeah," Ayano nodded. "That's pretty much true for me."

"I think you should go talk to Taro, yah know, make things right." Kokona reaches over the table to hold Osana's hands. "I know you're a good person Osana and things shouldn't be left bad between you and him. Both of you were such good friends and neither of you deserve to end it like that. This can be easily fixed."

A soft smile was on Osana's face along with a quiet, "Thanks."

Saki leaned over the table to Ayano, "Bitch better not steal my woman."

"You honestly have nothing to worry about," Ayano replies.

[]

[]

[]

It was only the middle of the day and Ayano just wants it to be over.

True to her word, Ayano has been on the lookout for Nemesis. The problem is Ayano is not the most knowledgeable of other students outside of Taro Yamada's life. She doesn't know any other students well enough to see through a disguise or even know any personal details to catch Nemesis off their guard.

So actively trying to find Nemesis is not the most successful plan so far.

Besides, her newest problem is the girl that Taro now hangs out with.

When Ayano and Osana saw Amai Odayaka walking with Senpai in the morning, they almost had the same reaction. It was shock and instant displeasure of seeing Taro just smiling and talking with another girl. Ayano's unhappiness lean more to anger while Osana was visibly sadder with her slumped shoulders.

If Osana suddenly gets the urge to kill Amai then Ayano is not going to stop her but that's unlikely where this was heading. She just got sadder throughout the day and any time Taro looked in their direction, his stare was always flickering to Osana and not her, also making a sad face.

Honestly, Ayano had enough of this sad fest. Frankly it was getting tiresome hearing Osana's sighs and seeing Taro frown whenever he was alone which isn't often thanks to the new rival. Saki was right about how Ayano is against any girl that's near Taro. It became instinctive the moment she decided to make Senpai's hers.

The day she met Senpai…

It only fuels her to do what is necessary to get what she wants.

Kokona had mention once that Amai is always in her clubroom after school, cooking, cleaning or relaxing, she is there and alone and that's where Ayano finds her. Currently, Amai was washing up some leftover plates when Ayano walked in.

"Hello there, you're Kokona's friend right?" Amai dried her hands with a towel, giving her full attention to Ayano.

"Yes I am. I think I left my phone here during lunch," Ayano scanned the room. The main table has been cleared off and in the kitchen area there was a bowl of fruit on the counter along with some drying utensils on a towel. Among the utensils were a two knives, a regular sized one and the other was for butchering.

Amai tapped her chin, also looking around, "No, I didn't find a phone in here. Maybe it's somewhere else."

"Perhaps," she agreed and wandered into the kitchen. "While I'm here, I'd like to ask. What are your intentions with Taro Yamada?"

"My intentions with my senpai?"

"Yes," Ayano stepped closer with her hand sliding on the countertop. " _My_ senpai."

A bemused frown was on Amai's face, "That is awfully possessive of you."

"So we're on the same page then," Ayano quickly snatches the butcher knife and whacks it into Amai's side, tackling her onto the floor. The Cooking Club President screamed, flailing her hands in a reckless manner to get Ayano off her.

Ayano used one hand to strangle her throat while the other pulled the blade out, blood was spilling on the floor and splattering onto Amai's uniform. Fingers dung into her throat, attempting to silence Amai but she managed to grab the wrist and shove it off her. Franticly, Amai kicked her way out from under Ayano, crawling backwards to the wall. Ayano stood up and didn't break eye contact, glaring at Amai as she grabs the other knife on the counter.

She took a step closer to the cowering girl, "Senpai is mine."

"Please," Amai pleaded, a hand pressing down on her bleeding wound, "Don't hurt him."

That made the killer freeze and caught off guard. "What? Him? I would never," she shook her head and her glare intensified. "Shut up, he's mine. He is senpai and he is my one and only."

Another step closer and Ayano barely heard Amai say faintly, "Please don't hurt him."

How… How dare she, was thought right before Ayano rushed at her, stabbing and hitting and mauling and how dare she say that Ayano would hurt Senpai. Amai's dying scream was not even heard by Ayano; too focus to make sure that Amai suffer.

Eventually Ayano stood back up.

And then she immediately ducked down when the clubroom door opened.

"Hello? Amai, you here?" Chills ran down Ayano's back and the blood on her felt like fire. Her grip on the knives trembled when she heard Kokona walk in.

The bloody mess was in the corner of the kitchen area with the corpse slumped by the wall and there Ayano squats, splattered with the blood of her friend's club president.

Her heart was hammering. She stared at her reflection in the bloody butcher knife, thinking that this is what Kokona will see and everything will be done and over between them. _Everything_ will be done and over for her. No one will ever be in her life and she'll be alone alone alone alone _alone why did she even make friends if they'll just leave her?_

"Kokona Haruka!" Someone said in a cheery and dramatic, announcer tone way.

"Ah Midori!" Kokona shrieked, "I um didn't hear you come in. Wait you heard someone screaming here too right?"

"Nope, just you. I think you heard the drama club rehearsing. Also, are you looking for Amai? I saw her heading to the garden, probably for her herbal plants or whatever. Let's go there right now!" Midori said quickly and Ayano risked a peek over the countertop to see Midori pushing Kokona out of the room.

Before Ayano could react to whatever the fuck Midori just did, she came back in, looking back into the hallway and then closing the door quietly. "Alright, Midori has led her away. We got here in the nickity nick of time." She leaned over the counter and whistled, "You really done goof this time Ayano. This is going to take a long time to clean up."

Ayano blinked and blinked again because two other Midoris came in and shut the door quietly.

"Woah, that's a lot of blood," one said.

The other Midori tutted her tongue and shook her head, "It's like you want to get caught with murder."

When all three of them moved in, Ayano brandish her knives at them. "Stop, what the fuck is going on?" Her eyes kept darting between them, not knowing who she needs to focus on before they ambush her.

"If it isn't obvious," the Midori in the middle clapped her hands together, "We're here to help you!"

The next few minutes were spent by Ayano struggling in the grasp of the three girls, all of who were strong enough to restrain her. Even with Budo's training, being out matched and in a tight area was not Ayano's benefit.

"Will you stop that?" Midori hissed, tugging her out of the clubroom and down the empty halls, "Most of the school may be cleared out but that doesn't stop them from wandering in and seeing your bloody trail."

"Hurry, hurry we must go," the Midori restraining Ayano's left arm started to rhyme under her breath, "Before, before all our secrets are known."

The third Midori couldn't decide whether to check ahead of them or behind of them, constantly poking her head around corners of hallways or into open doors. Soon they got to the Science Clubroom without any wandering students or teachers seeing them.

As expected, the lab was empty. Not as expected but should have been obvious, a Midori open a hidden panel in the wall and pushes a red button. A section of the back wall starts to slide up into the ceiling, behind it a pair of doors spilt off revealing a white tiled elevator.

"Of fucking course," Ayano said as she is ushered into it. The wall slides and doors slid back into its original positon and then that same Midori waits by a green panel where an elevator's buttons would be. Digital buttons appear on screen and she chooses the one titled as Lab Beta. There was no indication of the elevator moving. No vibration or whine of machinery. The only clue was the elevator music performed by the school's Music Club and band, the Strawberry Thieves.

All three Midori's were mildly head banging, still maintaining a grip on Ayano.

Ayano's foot was tapping out of impatience and annoyance, certainly not for the catchy rhythm.

Eventually the doors opened to an entry hallway that leads to a balcony overviewing the rest of the wide lab. Also at on the overview railing was a glass wall, likely there to protect whatever audience is there and the computers that sat in the middle of the balcony, all currently had blank screens.

There were staircases at both walls connecting to the lower section. That section alone is massively expanse with cameras evenly set on the ceiling, monitoring what looks like a training floor filled with gym equipment but also other smallish machinery that Ayano cannot identify because it's probably some science bullshit.

At the computers, Kaga Kusha swirls his seat around and jump up.

"Hello Ayano!" He greeted with a wave.

Immediately, she bucked her way out of the Midori's grasp, stampeding over to the scientist. Right when she was about to lunge at him, his clone project tackled her to the ground. He motioned for Midori to lift their guest to her feet.

"I take it that Info-chan has pitted you against me? That doesn't matter now, you're here. Welcome to my personal lab!" Kaga waved his arms around, presenting the whole room.

Ayano spits on the clean floor.

She regrets that when all three Midori's chorused an "Oh!" into her ear.

Kaga frowned at her, "Now that's just rude."

"Your face is rude," she snaps back.

Again there was the "Oh!" only longer than necessary.

One even says, "Got him!"

He eyes that Midori with a fast frown but gives a wide grin at Ayano. "Anyway, I had a monologue planned for a moment like this. No I didn't account for you murdering specifically Amai, may a god bless her soul, but yeah I'm going to not only blackmail you over that but I'm going to offer you something."

The very long text message of Info preparing her for this exact moment pops into Ayano's head.

"Whatever you're offering, I refuse."

"Blackmail it is!" Kaga turns around and types on the computers, an image of Taro Yamada pops on screen, "If you're curious, I wasn't going to offer or threaten Taro, that's way too easy!"

Ayano squints at him and even the Midori's looked confused too.

"Midori," he doesn't look away from the screen, clicking and typing still but does a little nod at her direction, "You're in charge of covering up Amai's death. Do whatever you like and get started."

"Woo!" One Midori woops and lets go of Ayano, going back to the elevator. The two left still have a tight hold on her but that's not where her mind is focused.

Kaga pulls up the images of her parents.

"At the age of five, the average child experiences almost all the possibly ranges of emotions. Despair, joy, rage, depression, fear, and many more but Ayano, I believe that never happened to you." Kaga turns around at her, arms crossed. "Years later, you still believe that you have not experience real emotions. That is until you met Taro Yamada."

"What is this?" Ayano glares at him, constantly looking at the three pictures, staring most of all at her father. "This isn't blackmail."

"My offer for you is still on the table." There is pity no _hope_ in his voice, "I'm offering the answer for your question: Why am I like this?"

There's a lump in her throat, "I, I'm not taking your offer."

A few more clicks of the mouse and Kaga enlarges her parent's picture over Taro's. "Are you sure?"

She's not sure and she wants the answer. There's even a small voice telling her to take the offer.

"Take the offer," Midori whispers into her ear.

The other Midori whispers in her other ear, "You should totally do it. I'm tots curious about this. This is way more interesting than I thought."

Ayano takes her time staring weirdly at them, "Shut up."

They shrug because they are right. Kaga's offer is not what Info and her had predicted and in all honestly, she _needs wants_ the answer.

Kaga is patient through the silence, nodding a little and softly says, as if disappointed, "Okay, blackmail it is then. We have enough evidence to toss you to the police or worse so just behave and keep on your toes for a while, kay?"

She says nothing.

"Oh, look at the time! You're going to be late for Budo's club. How about I escort you there," and he winks at the word escort. "Also don't worry. A Midori is fetching your training uniform so you won't be leaving the lab in a bloody mess."

She says nothing, still staring at her parents.

He sighs, "Alright, I'll give you this. Taro Yamada is not the answer." Kaga looks over at the screen too and back at her, "He's not the cure. Does that satisfy you?"

"No," Ayano said.

[]

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[]

 _"Oka Ruto, it is a pleasure to speak with you again. I assume you're here to ask about the recent death in your school."_

"…What recent death?"

A dark sound rumbled, resembling a laugh.

 _"Child, do not play coy we me. You are powerful enough to sense aura. Death, the moving of a person's soul, you feel that and do not deny it."_

"That chill, that," Oka rubs her arms, "That bone tingling sensation I feel when I walk the halls of my school. It's not death I sense, it is souls or both the living and the dead." She stares straight ahead, "That soul I sensed belonged to my friend."

 _"You have my condolences child."_

"Thank you."

 _"May I also offer a gift?"_

"What? No I will not accept any power or gift."

 _"…You say you can sense souls. What about the darkness and what it lingers in?"_

"Not quite to be honest. Our definitions of darkness are very different."

Another low rumble occurred.

 _"Do you now seek a cleansing? I sense the total sum of all the blood and darkness of this damned plane of existence. There is no surprise or doubt that your area had a great amount of tainted souls."_

Oka rubs her arms in a more feverish manner. "I-I decline any gift from you."

 _"…Very well child, but know that should not face this world alone. I'll be here waiting."_

"I… I know."

* * *

 _At first I thought to have that last scene be anonymous but in hindsight, I mean, come on we know what kind of stuff Oka gets into. If there's one thing I learned about writing it that there's plot and there's secret plot, we are entering the secret plot real soon a.k.a. some of my headcannons._

 _There's another thing I kind of want to admit. After I wrap of this arc and interlude there's most likely gonna be a mid-season hiatus of sorts, two or three weeks break for me to chill and work on the next arc._

 _Edit: Fucking hell, my original idea to fix the demon dialog was to align it right since I can't strikethrough so align center will have to be it._

 _Next Chapter: How to Mourn For Beginners_


	9. How To Mourn for Beginners

"You did what?"

Before Ayano and Info left for school in the morning, she explained what happened with Amai, Midori(s), and Kaga as vaguely and bluntly as possible.

"I killed Amai and now Kaga and Midori are blackmailing me."

Info blinked.

Then she went back into the kitchen and poured herself another cup of lukewarm black coffee and slammed it down her throat.

"You. Did. _WHAT?_ "

"So," Ayano pressed her lips together, "I see that you're mad."

"Ayano, you can't just go out killing people when Kaga and the Nemesis are around!" Info waved her arms expressively to further prove how mad she is.

"Hey, I've been killing people even with you and Kaga around so it's kind of a habit." She shrugged with her explanation and she saw Info's face twitch. "Look I was in a tight spot and from what he said he was prepared to blackmail me sooner or later."

Info shook her head in her hands, emitting a scream with a closed mouth. "Of course he prepared, he's always prepared." Suddenly she snapped her head up with a grin that freaked out Ayano, this briefly brought chills to her spine. "But there are still things that he didn't account for. Nemesis might know who I am but he doesn't, we haven't seen Midori publicly around so that means that Nemesis knows something is up with her, and I don't fit the bill as a bio-engineer but Kaga does. There still might be a way for us to turn things around."

Ayano nodded supportively. "Hey, by the way, you know about Kaga's secret lab right?"

There was a pause in Info's whole being, "No I did not." The redhead turned her attention to look through all the cabinets in a hurried fashion, "I know you have vodka or wine somewhere in this house. I will find it."

"Info, its fucking Thursday morning and you want to go to school drunk," Ayano stated, "Besides, there's no alcohol here."

She did a slow head turn to Ayano, "How do you even live?"

Ayano bites down the urge to say that she doesn't feel like she's alive at all.

"Alcohol isn't going to help anything," she reasoned, "and I can't believe that it's me telling you to not do something stupid."

"We already done something immensely stupid and that is letting Kaga get the better of us," Info gave up looking and returned to the coffee pot as her addiction.

Fed up with all of this, Ayano stomped over and grabbed Info by the shoulders and said, "Stop complaining and start making a plan to get us the fuck out of this."

Info shooed off her hands, "I do have a plan Ayano, but I can't promise our safety when it goes in motion."

"Just fucking tell me already."

Info tells of her master plan. "We work with Nemesis."

A pause, then Ayano asks, "And?"

"You're not going to like the 'and' part of this though."

She sighs, "At least there is more to this plan."

[]

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[]

 _BA-DING_

 _"Attention students,"_ the principal announces when class is about to start. _"Yesterday, Wednesday night, Amai Odayaka was hit by a car on her way home. It is unfortunate that this happened. There will be a service in the Cooking Clubroom for her during lunch and and other in the fountain courtyard after school."_ There was a quiet sigh, _"Please everyone, stay safe around cars and at night as well."_

It was just a really, really sad Thursday.

Everyone, every student and teacher, were quiet and a few of them, specifically the Cooking Club, were crying. Their president was very dear to them and she was so nice to other students and just why did this happen? This just wasn't fair for her. Amai is dead and she didn't deserve to be hit by a car at night and then the driver to just drive away.

Taro Yamada and a lot of other students are mourning over this. It was so sudden to hear about the car accident on the news and to later hear that the victim was a fellow student. Some students among the grief were scared at this too, one day a person is alive and the next they are dead and gone. Death is just unexpected and unpredictable.

There was still shock in him, even after hours of the announcement. He watched the news report about Amai and there was no denying that it was her body scrapped on the road like a dead animal. This is an outright horrifying end to Amai, a bloody and painful end. She's gone and Taro is overwhelmed with the sheer thought of her being gone.

Amai was there for him the day he came back to school without Osana and oh, it took a matter of seconds for them to be friends. She quickly entered his life and had a hasty, abrupt exit.

In the back of his mind, there was a maybe small thought that he keeps losing his friends that like with Osana, that he's the cause of the pain. But that's just ridiculous. He has no control or part of her death. He's not going to guilt trip himself over her death, a death that was in no relation to him. It is ridiculous and selfish to even think that Amai's end revolves around him.

…But what if… in some possibility, he really is the cause and reason of her death. Maybe there's a possibility where he could have saved her, just see or call her and prevent her from walking the street.

Morning classes were somber and quiet. Taro barely payed attention to the teacher and he felt like crying but willed himself not to. He decided to save the tears for the thing at lunch. Numb is how he would say what he's feeling right now. There is just numbness in his heart for knowing that a friend is gone.

He bumps into someone in the hallway as he walks to his next class.

"Sorry, my bad," Taro said with not a lot of effort. He didn't even look at the person's face but he notices long strawberry blonde hair and freezes.

"It was also my fault too, sorry," and Osana looks just as awkward as he's feeling. She rubs her elbow, "Taro, I'm sorry."

That numbness is at his throat now and he barely manages to say, "I'm sorry too."

Human traffic nudges them in different directions and they let that happen. Taro realizes that this is the second time Osana has ever said an apology to him. He's not used to it. It was always her defending herself with her yelling at him or abruptly changing the subject. But by now, Osana has been thinking about this a lot surely.

He just doesn't know if he's ready to forgive her or what will come after. Osana had been so brash in their friendship and he can't help but think he's the cause of it. Maybe there's just too much doubt and insecurity in him and that just adds to his cowardly plan to avoid Osana for the rest of high school.

From what he notices, the other students were also very lethargic because, well, this is bringing back unpleasant memories of the last time there was a death announcement.

It was what, a few months ago? Perhaps a lot more months ago?

Either way, this recalled the repressed or forgotten memory of the death of another young, female student. The student body didn't know her too well, Taro included, but that didn't stop people from at least being sad or sentimental at the thought of her. Her death was labeled as suicide and well, a lot of students didn't know what to make of it.

Actually, now that Taro thinks about it, it was around that time that Amai began to whip up little snacks to any or all students that cross paths with her.

…Taro feels ten times sadder.

Whether it was guilt and depression for the first dead girl or for Amai, well it is hard to distinguish for the boy. Like he mentioned, the first death announcement was a shock and a sad thing to hear but that girl was not as known as Amai, someone who got really close to Taro in a matter of days.

Not surprising, it was packed in the Cooking Clubroom for lunch. By the looks of it, all the club leaders are paying their respects along with some of their own club members. The Photography Club has helped set up a whole bunch of pictures of Amai, a collage of which are set on the main table and by the window sits an enlarged student ID photo of her too.

Uekiya Engeika, the President of the Gardening Club, arranged a bouquet of blue, white, and mint green flowers by the photo. She even changed the flower in her hair to a light blue one. Like Amai, Uekiya is one of the friendliest people in school. Amai mentioned her a lot back when she was, well alive… a few days ago… she even hoped to introduce them and have lunch all together.

Right now, the Gardening Club President was hugging everyone who felt like hugging, which was practically all the Cooking Club. Throughout all of it, Uekiya was trying to keep herself together despite the tears on her face. She just finished hugging Kokona Haruka before going to another crying student.

Taro awkwardly stepped up to the purple haired girl, now in the embrace of Saki Miyu. She nodded at him and caresses Kokona's head, currently nuzzled in her neck.

"Hi," Taro said.

"Hey," Saki said and Kokona made a noise that might also be a hello. "She's holding up pretty well. How about you?"

He shrugged. Saki used her free arm to wrangle Taro into their hug and he complies. Now Saki has two people crying silently with the occasional sniffle at her neck. It felt a little more uncomfortable for him due to being taller than the girls. Regardless, Saki pats his head too and he just accepts his fate of being comforted by shorter girls.

"You want in for the hug fest?" Saki says to someone behind him. Both he and Kokona shift their heads to see Osana and Ayano Aishi approaching them.

"No," Ayano answered. "There are already too many people in my personal space." Her point is further proved when two sobbing students bump pass her to give respect to Amai's photo.

By now, lunch was almost over and yet the clubroom is crowded, filled with so many crying teenagers. There were a few people there who had this zombie like attitude, all motionless and staring at nothing. Ayano was included to that zombie list, staring at either Amai's photo or the kitchen area then back to Taro but he didn't really pay too much attention on her.

Osana held his gaze.

Again Saki pats his head and then shoves him over to Osana.

"We," Osana took a deep breath, glancing over to Kokona and Saki and back to him, "We should talk later. Cause well, this isn't really the time or place and I can't imagine what you're going through and god, Taro, I'm so sorry."

Taro hugs himself, "I'm not doing so swell honestly. This," he nods at the photos, "is a lot to process. She was there for me when I left you and now she's gone."

She took the tiniest of steps closer to him but her eyes were bold and calm, "I'm here now. For you and while I didn't know her too well, I'm here for Amai, she and I, I wish I got the chance to know to her."

"You two would have gotten along. I believe so."

Osana places a hand on his arm and leans forward to say softly, "We're here for you." The boy looks over to the other girls and out of the three of them, Taro knows Saki the most which isn't saying much. He shared a sandwich with her once and now they're both chill with each other. As for Kokona and Ayano, well he has seen them around but that's pretty much it.

At the end of lunch, it took the guidance counselor, Ms. Genka Kunahito, and Nurse Muja to herd the children out of the room.

"So we'll talk later?" Taro asks as they follow the flow of students into halls.

"Yeah, later," Osana said.

[]

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[]

For the rest of the day, things seemed a little better. There was less crying, people got a breather and got a little calmer; somber but still sad and confused. It was the majority of the students who reacted like this, the others, the ones that weren't too affected by Amai's death; they were respectful at best and ignored all the sadness at worst. He doesn't want to be mad at those people. They were just going through their day like it was a normal Thursday.

To Budo Matsuda, he doesn't know how to even think that this is a normal Thursday. Amai Odayaka, his fellow club leader and friend, died and he trying his damn best to pull it together.

He met up with Uekiya at the lunch service, letting her cry into his embrace after seeing how she's been tending to the many other grievers. Practically almost other clubs looked up to her and only now has she been left alone with her thoughts.

Though Uekiya's sobbing, he was barely able to hear, "She's gone, Amai, she's gone." Her head sprang up quickly and she madly rubbed her eyes. "I have to be there for the Cooking Club, I should go talk to them and make sure."

"You already talked and hugged them for the pass fifteen minutes," Budo said, gently pulling her back to a hug, "Please, just calm down and," he sighed out, sad and unsure, "cry and just cry with me, okay?"

They do just that. And when they both calmed down, they quietly voiced how they miss Amai already.

Nurse Muja tapped his shoulder to get him to stop blankly staring over Uekiya's head. "How are you kiddies holding up?"

Budo shrugs and Uekiya lets go of him and puts up a brave face with red, puffy eyes. "This is all hard to take in but we'll manage."

"That's good," the nurse says but she looks doubtful at them. "I'm guessing that all the clubs are postponing their meetings today?" The students nod. "Hmm, okay, that's… good. I've been speaking with Ms. Kunahito all morning about having a grief therapy but it'll take some boring paperwork stuff to process it officially."

"Do you want us to spread the word about the therapy?" Uekiya asked.

"Not yet, when it is scheduled, I'm asking the club leaders to persuade the students who seem like they need it."

Rubbing his wet eyes, Budo smiled, "Well I think that's a great idea."

"Thank you," Nurse Muja shared a glance at the guidance counselor at the door, announcing that lunch was over and they all should get to their classes. "I better help her out."

All the students flooded out of the clubroom, most of who are saying how they'll meet up again for the after school service. The rest of the day is still somber and depressing. People, mostly Uekiya and the Gardening Club, left flowers on Amai's desk.

Still, this whole day has been very slow to Budo. All the club leaders got along well, with Uekiya encouraging them to be friends because they all share similar responsibilities. She wasn't wrong and so there was a strange kinship. Some club presidents had more enthusiasm or maturity than others but that didn't stop Amai from baking them all sweets after their Club President meetings.

There were no awaiting cookies when Megami Saikou messaged them for a sudden Club President meeting. She had texted the presidents to immediately go to the Student Council room right after school.

As usual, no matter how creepy it was, the laptop was on and all alone. Megami stared through the screen, watching her fellow classmates filing in and be seated.

"I have been informed of recent events and," Megami chewed her lip, "I honestly have no words. I can't believe this happened."

Understandably, everyone was silent. Budo was sitting next to Uekiya, squeezing her hand for comfort, for him and for her, they both needed it. A quick glance around the room showed how uncomfortably different certain presidents were behaving.

Kizana Sunobu wasn't playing with her hair or complaining how the meeting was wasting her precious time to be at theater practice. Miyuji Shun wasn't tapping her fingers to an unheard rhythm. She didn't even bring out her guitar pick to patronize strumming a song, something she's known to do in both meetings and classes. Asu Rito, Budo's fellow exercise president, looked like the devoid of all emotions. There was no reaction from her when he tried greeted her with their traditional fist bumps before a meeting. Fureddo Jonzu wasn't even leaning back casually in his chair or slump over the table. Instead he sat up straight, tense even, staring at the empty chair that Amai would have taken.

The much quieter presidents, the artist Geiju Tsuka, the demon mediator Oka Ruto, and the video gamer Gema Taku, were actually the ones fidgeting the most. Geiju kept rolling or twirling a paint brush in his hand while Gema had a small gaming device in his, pressing different buttons or toggling toggles as the screen remained blank. Oka sat on Budo's right so it was easy for him to notice how she kept curling and uncurling her fingers or rubbing her arms.

Kaga Kusha appears to be the only one here with a steady speaking voice. "What words can be said? Amai Odayaka is dead."

Uekiya made a sound like she got punched in the gut, tears swelled up and she was gripping Budo's hand tightly.

"Why are we here?" Fureddo quietly asked, barely looking at the laptop.

The laptop's microphone was able to pick up the low audio though because Megami answers, "I wanted to give my support to all of you since I am unable to physically be there with you."

Kizana's head rolled on its atlas to the Student Council President, "That's very tragic. To hear death, to see death, but unable to give proper grievance is poor for the soul. Her death," she trailed off, "was… it was…"

"Ugly," Geiju answered, never looking away from his painting tool.

"Yes," she nodded, "Ugly indeed."

"The aesthetic of death aside," Kaga continued, "I'm guessing we're here to talk about something important." He raised his eyebrows in emphasis.

Megami huffed but refrained from rolling her eyes, "Kaga's right. I know that having this meeting right before Amai's school service is abrupt to the point of inappropriate but I needed to talk to all of you. The Student Council has passed the message to all of you correct?"

"Correct," answered Kaga while everyone else gave a slight nod. "This secret investigation is quite puzzling."

"Nothing has been unusual," Fureddo added, his eyebrows scrunched up, "I don't get it, nothing has been strange since the window incident." Warily, he considered under his breath, "Unless yesterday?"

Uekiya snapped her head at him, "Amai's death can't be a part of this secret, hidden, unknown investigation thing. She would have never be anywhere near it."

Fureddo held her gaze, frighten just a bit but said, "Unless she stumbled upon something on accident, something dangerous and got caught knowing."

"Are you really suggesting that Amai was," Uekiya couldn't dare finish her sentence; her thoughts too. Her grip on Budo's hand was now trembling.

The quietest of voices murmured out that scary word.

"Murdered," Oka breathes, casting her eyes down when all of them stared at her.

Kaga rested his head in his hands, almost in a relaxed form, "Do you know something Oka?"

The president in question kept rubbing her arms, "No I don't. This is just all too much to think about."

"She's right," Budo said a little too loud to get everyone's attention off Oka. Kaga kept staring at her though but the rest looked to him. "This is all too much. We're fucking high school students and Megami, I know you're just looking out for us but questioning Amai's death is inappropriate. We don't need some bombshell plot twist right now, we need to grieve."

"We also need time to grieve," Asu added, giving Megami a tired look. "We don't need to do," she motioned her hand around the room, "this meeting right now."

"Yeah this whole wondering how Amai bit the dust is not cool," Miyuji agreed and she pulled out her guitar pick and thumbed circles with it in her palm, "She's gone and can we focus on that part and not this conspiracy shit?"

Megami was about to say something but everyone's attention was drawn to the noise of a device being settled down. Gema placed down his gaming console gently on the table but to the students it was like a person stopped carrying the sky.

He let go of the console, his hands still hovering near it though and said, "We played Cooking Mama together. There's no game over in that game."

"Amai got a game over," Miyuji sulked.

"No, she got a game over but no option to try again," he clarified and looked straight over to the laptop. "She died in a wrong place, wrong time scenario, that's it. There's no key item that will click things together, no save file to rewrite, and there's no extra life pack for Amai. She's gone. I don't care about questioning the cause of death and I don't care about this secret investigation. Our friend is gone, Megami."

Gema stood up, pocketed his game console and left the room. A few seconds later, Uekiya also left, giving Budo one last hand squeeze and went after the gamer.

"I'm sorry," Megami says. It's all she can do from behind a camera. "Having this meeting is foolish. I was just too worried and panicked when I learned about Amai's death."

"Err on the side of caution," Kaga said, getting up as well. "Things will be better with time. Until the next meeting," he manually ended the call and shut down the laptop. "Alright everyone, Amai's service has probably started without us."

[]

[]

[]

Like with the Cooking Clubroom, the main fountain area was similarly decorated. There were a small collection of easels holding the collages of the student chef and also a newly painted canvas of Amai Odayaka, presented by the Art Club. Geiju stands by his work with Uekiya, telling him that he has done a wonderful job painting their friend and that she would love it.

Oka notices the artist play with the brush part of his tool. She knows too well that Geiju is so tempted to break apart yet another of his creations. Was it because he's not satisfied by it? Or feels that his work will never be enough to honor Amai? Oka doesn't really know; his aura was always hard to read.

This ability Oka Ruto has, sensing auras or moods or souls or possibly other things; it was not something she was born with. Instead she believes that this six sense if the product of all her successful contacts with spirits or being beyond her plane of existence. She kind of learned it through meditation of sorts, trying to reach out to talk to summoned spirits and once she got the hang of it, it became a subconscious thing to sense other people's auras.

To be honest, this sense of hers is rather limited and takes a lot of concentration so it's more like she's reading the surface emotions of a person's aura rather than their full being. Besides, Oka has already decided to not to use this ability, she has no interest in human affairs. The purpose of practicing this ability was to contact spirits, nothing more.

Now, it's probably a good thing that she didn't exercise this ability. The main fountain was packed with grieving students and all their surface emotions were on a range of depression to guilt to anger and honestly, it was giving Oka a bit of a headache. Too many people with loud, impulsive emotions that is hard for Oka to ignore. Usually she barely notices auras because it's like background noise to her but now, everyone's is expelling so much internally and externally. It's no longer background noise, it's loud and indistinctive and vague but all shades of one color that's hard to ignore yet it's complicated to focus on one singular shade of color.

Geiji once showed off an abstract piece he was working on. It was a large canvas completely painted in little dark squares of hues. The game was to find the square whose hue is of absolute black. It gave Oka a headache of confusion trying to see the difference between a dark green and a dark red. That's what Oka is feeling right now, all the auras are in the same dark range of color and it's almost blinding to her.

It's safer for her to just linger at the doors of the fountain courtyard since everyone else is drawn to the pictures or paintings of Amai. All the Club Presidents were present, talking to the masses and making sure that they were coping well. So far, people have calmed down or have begun sobbing again.

Oka wants to cry too. Amai was a really nice person and she made Oka occult themed sweets on occasionally. She didn't deserve death and ever since the meeting, things have been so confusing.

Amai was announced dead in late in the evening, around eight, but Oka sensed her soul leaving this plane at five. Maybe what Megami was trying to say was actually related; she wouldn't have recklessly had that meeting otherwise.

This paranoia was getting to Oka as she rubbed her arms. It didn't help that she saw Ayano here too. For the most part, nothing out of the ordinary resonated from her soul that reached Oka's radar lately. Then again, ever since she witnessed the murder, Oka might have been suppressing any or all read on Ayano's aura.

Right now, her aura joins the massive cloud of sadness and despair of emotions emitting from everyone else crowding the area. Oka only noticed that she was here because she saw Budo talking to her and some other girls. Budo appeared to be comforting one of them and there was a sad smile on his face, no doubt reminiscing about Amai.

She's kind of tempted to go over to him to talk about Amai too but also to get him away from Ayano. Oka may still not be the best at reading the aura of people like Ayano, Geiju, Kaga, and Megami but she still has a gut feeling to be suspicious or wary. That and she did see Ayano kill a girl and now she's here at another girl's impromptu funeral service talking with Oka's fellow club leader.

Ayano, for the most part, seems calm and almost confused. This is the best that Oka could get a read on her from, again, how crowded the auras in the area were acting.

Someone began sobbing horribly.

Oka barely processed that Uekiya rushed to that student's side when a huge headache pounded against her skull. The cries triggered a lot of emotions to swell up, all getting depressed with the feeling of hopelessness. The Occult President's back was already pressed to the doors so it was easy for her to slip away without being noticed.

Wandering away from the source of bundling, compressed auras, Oka kept massaging her temples. It helped a bit and she sighed with relief. Her aura reading never got this intense or strong but then again, this kind of circumstances doesn't happen often.

A well liked and known young girl meets an unfortunate and painful end. Of course the reaction to that will be intense.

"Ugly," Oka remembered from the meeting. Much more quietly she questioned, "Murdered?"

The empty halls didn't answer.

The sound of steady footfalls did though.

Her mind was still in high gear of sensing auras. It finally let go of the grieving students to latch onto the new aura but… No, that can't be right.

There was no aura attached to the footsteps.

Rubbing her temples, more stressed, Oka followed the person walking down an adjacent hallway. Her headache was still messing with her head so she barely paid attention to where she was, just following after the strange aura.

Because… well because she wants to do anything but overthink about the death of Amai Odayaka, a real great person but she's dead and Oka literally felt her god damn _soul_ leave her body and she doesn't even know _where_ it went, like, Oka Ruto, President of the Occult Club, has had successful, yes _successful_ and _very real_ summons and conversations with spirits but they all gave the impression that they weren't in heaven, hell, _or_ purgatory and that baffles Oka that there's a fourth road.

Well actually if she thinks about it, anything involving the Crossroads has four choices, the fourth being backwards but that doesn't make sense in the slightest to Oka because no spirit she has encountered has ever had an ounce of regret for their actions so either backwards means surrender or backwards means go back in time; and again, she has not met a single spirit that was crazy about time. Although one did dismiss the notion of time, labeling it as just a puny human concept to give meaning to life but Oka severely disagrees and…

Wait is that Midori?

Oka finally caught up to see who she was following and it was Midori Gurin, someone who hasn't been around lately. And she walks into the Science Clubroom.

That aura… Of course it was Midori. That sense of absolute nothingness and devoid of essence of… _energy? force?,_ takes the form of her. Oka should have realized it sooner if she didn't have this killer headache.

She knows that Midori would have no purpose of going to the Science room and yet there she disappears to. Carefully, Oka creeks the door open and sees that Midori had pressed a red button inside an opened panel of the wall and then an elevator is revealed within the wall. The reveal was so silent and smooth and unbelievably odd that Oka gasped.

Midori whirled her body around, "Oka?!"

As fast as she could, Oka slammed the door, stumbling a bit, and she has to _get away._

Her mind was spinning, still pounding from the headache, still sensing the presence of the students grieving, still sensing how fast Midori's presence was after her, but at the last second, her mind processed the aura of someone behind her.

Her momentum was off and her head ached and so she ran right into someone. The person held her writs tightly and said, "Calm down Oka, there's no need for this."

Kaga Kusha hushed the panicked girl, drawling circling with his thumbs on her writs. It didn't work.

"You!" Oka thrashed out of his grip, backing away, "Midori and that secret door, in _your_ clubroom!"

At the mentioned of her name, Midori was out of the room and quickly grabbed Oka, restraining her arms and a hand covered her mouth.

"Now, Midori, be gentle with her," Kaga scolded and she followed his command, even stopped covering Oka's mouth. "So! I can explain."

"Can you explain why I saw Midori die and the next day she came back to life?" She challenged. Kaga's aura always put her at unease and now the reason is here.

"Actually yes, that can be explained." He grinned, "So you saw Ayano cut off Midori's limbs? Did you see how long it took for the bones to break? I put so much work into the bone structure and now I finally have someone to gush about it! No offensive Midori."

Midori shrugged, "None taken."

"Oh I know! I can show you my lab. It has all my latest projects, granted some need a little work but I think you're really like it."

"Stop! Kaga, stop!" Her yelling was muffled when Midori returned a hand to cover her mouth. At Kaga's nod to her, Midori let go. "Kaga, what are you talking about?"

The frown on his face didn't measure up to the waves of sadness that resonated from his aura. "I want to share all my projects with you and," he sheepishly twiddled his fingers, "maybe work with you."

"What?"

"Yeah, wouldn't it be awesome!" Gone was the sadness and it was replaced with childlike wonder and glee. "Science made it possible for me to create Midori. Biology, neurology, chemistry, psychology, and many more _logys_! Imagine what we can create together, Oka. You are so amazing and you contacted real out worldly, no," Kaga shook his head and corrected himself, "out of existence beings and they talked to you back!" Again he nodded at Midori to let Oka go. Kaga offered a hand and a kind smile and excited eyes to Oka. "We both have done some impossible things. There will no longer be the word impossible when we work together."

Oka looked at his outstretched hand and back to his face. She glanced over to Midori who was mindlessly swaying her head, not even looking at them. "Um Midori, can you leave us alone?"

She felt rather than saw Kaga's quizzical and suspicious stare but Midori complied, doing a finger guns and a wink before reentering the clubroom.

It was now just Kaga and her in the hallway.

"Please, just hear me out," Kaga pleaded. He may have a sad face that placed guilt on her heart but Oka had a feeling that she needs to run away. "I have followed your work since the beginning and it amazes me to no end. It's unfathomable. The existence of godly beings, and you _conversed_ with them! Truly amazing and I can't possibly grasp or understand how you're able to do that." He starts chuckling, like he remembered an inside joke, staring off and then refocusing on her. "I tried, you know, I tried it myself but no one answered. Well actually," he says quietly but dismisses it with a smile. "Oka, please, if we work together-"

"Stop," Oka demanded. He shuts his mouth, tilting his head curiously. "I don't think this is a good idea. If you really understand my work then you would know that most spirits, the powerful and old ones, do not like technology or experimentation." She digs her nails into her palms, stopping herself from rubbing her arms. "Trust me when I say that the occult and science will not get along."

Kaga blinked at her, mouth slightly open and he does a double take, shaking his head a bit. "They will not get along? That's exactly why we should do this! I have a plan Oka and once you hear it out, you'll get it and," he takes a step closer but Oka skits away. Kaga shakes, no, twitches his head, "The occult and the supernatural, combine that with science and, Oka we have to see the results! Theories are just not enough, we must do this! We can change the world!" He pauses and takes in Oka's trembling figure. Sighing, he takes a step back and gives her a begrudging frown. "Fine, this sounds scary to you and, honestly, to me too. That's why I'm doing this," he grin returns and there's a bit of a smirk there as well. "Fear is not a controlling force; it drives me along with every other emotion out there. Aren't you tired of being weighted down with fear Oka?"

Kaga's aura was filled with excitement and utter craving and desire to do whatever he sets his mind to and what he wants is _madness_.

Horrified, Oka finds her voice. "Kaga, even if you do whatever you planned, I don't think the spirits will aid you." All the spirits she has communicated with, they all despise this world and its people to a hypocritical level because they used to be people and now they are monstrous. Kaga wants to work with them to satisfy his curiosity and fear and Oka is just unable to comprehend all of this.

"Do you believe that or are you scared of the possibility that they will help me." Kaga steps around her to his clubroom. With a hand on the knob, he says, "Oka, I admire all your qualities except your cowardliness. Now if you'll excuse me, I got things to do and nothing on Earth will stop me, not even you."

There was a look on his face as he closed to door behind him and it frightened Oka and reminded her of something important.

Kaga Kusha is human. He has willpower and so many tools and resources to do whatever he wants, just like how Ayano confidently murdered Midori just last week. This is why Oka didn't like messing with human affairs. With the affairs of spirits, they were a plane away, wishful thinking about their goals and no matter how hell bent they were, they were still utterly trapped.

Here in her plane, she's surrounded by so many tainted souls that do so many ugly things and it frightens Oka on how close they are to her. She's scared on how easy people commit murder or other dangerous crimes that make Oka want to puke.

She knows Kaga and his ambition and she hates that he's right. There is nothing on Earth that can stop him. That mad glint in his eyes and his aura radiated a similar void to Midori but it came off as more as decaying.

Not him, not his life force, was decaying, more like his aura was decaying while he's still healthy and that shouldn't be possible. That conclusion didn't make Oka feel any better as she fled from the school. It appears that nobody noticed her absence at the service and so Oka was alone with her thoughts for the rest of the day.

At night though, Kaga's words and that fear plagued her.

Oka gets out of bed and gets her book, a candle, and a match stick.

Oka kneels and lights the candle at the stroke of midnight.

* * *

 _Originally, all the Club Presidents were only going to be mention in the third interlude but I rethought that because their fellow Club President died and that would be a big impact on them. Taro's and Saki's friendship is built upon simple kindness such as sharing food and being chill with each other, nothing too deep there._

 _And yep, there's Kaga trying to get Oka on his side! That wasn't a surprise but his reasoning on the other hand, well, it's in his bio that he wants world domination, this is one of his theories to achieve it._

 _Edit: I did some minor edits and honestly I must have done a good job on this chapter_

 _Next Chapter: Done with Preparations_


	10. Done with Preparations

The digital clock blinks midnight.

After hours of being left alone with simple yet complicating thoughts, a candle is lit in a dark room.

Those thoughts led to this. Feeding fears, tricking the mind to believe that it's in danger, lungs working overtime at the sheer mentality that something is amiss, and no sense of safety was there to calm a fast beating heart.

It's the feeling that something is lurking right behind you, that crawling sensation of something not known is hovering on the back of your neck. Feeling eyes glaring and judging your every movement, your soul too.

The paranoia and anxiety is a merciless pain on the psyche.

A voice finally, _finally_ , emerged.

 _"Child, you do not look well. What's the matter?"_

The child answers.

 _"Ah that's unexpected. You have no one else to turn to for this? No, of course not, you know that I will always be here for you. This responsibility is too heavy to bear alone."_

The child is confused.

 _"You discovered this and I believe that it should be you to end this, it's fitting. I look to you to settle this matter because, well, it can only be you."_

The child shakes her head and babbles excuses.

 _"Nonsense, I have told you, you are powerful."_

The compliments continue to steady the child's heart, bring ease.

 _"You are prepared to take action."_

The child shakes her head again. Fear is back in her eyes, a hammering heart fills the silence.

 _"If you don't take action, these so called balances of the world will topple and the laws of everything will be obliterated. Child please, Kaga Kusha must not play with the natures of the worlds and beyond."_

"I can't do this on my own," Oka Ruta said. Tears have swelled up and the panic is coursing through her. "I know Kaga and he's determined to do this."

The voice goes softer but still sharp.

 _"Once again you have let fear control you and this does not suit you child. Do you want to stop Kaga Kusha? Do you want to prevent him from hurting himself and this world? Do you care about this world and its people enough to take the initiative to do what is necessary?"_

Oka says nothing.

 _"Child…"_

The voice begins but corrects itself.

 _"Oka Ruto, I believe you can do this but you just need courage. I can give you courage. I know you are scared to your wits end and you tire of it. Will you accept my courage?"_

Oka says nothing.

Oka stares at the candle dimly lighting her bedroom.

 _"Do you love this life of yours?"_

Oka tries to say words but nothing comes out.

 _"But you know of others who do, yes?"_

"Yes."

 _"Then I can give you the power to save their lives. No one will ever suffer a painful, gruesome death like that friend of yours."_

Oka's hands tremble.

Oka nods.

A presence vibrates inside the room, right above the candle.

 _"I need you to say the words."_

She stands up from her kneeling position and offers up her hands. "I, Oka Ruto, accept your gift."

 _"I,"_ it speaks its name and the sound that occurred was distorted, giving her brain a fuzzy haze, _"hereby give you my gift."_

At the mention of its name, she didn't hear the sound exactly but more like she felt it and its distortedness.

The candle is consumed by the vibration and that vague space dims into absolute darkness, fuzzing around the edges and it floats up into Oka's arms.

It sinks into Oka's skin.

And Oka feels courage.

And _it_ feels freedom.

[]

[]

[]

Hey, it's Friday.

Everyone is still depressed.

The girl sitting next to Ayano is crying again.

Ayano barely holds back a frustrated sigh when the girl sniffles for two minutes straight. Ugh this is getting so repetitive. So Amai dies a few days ago and the whole school won't let it go. She wants to snort. The school didn't put this much fanfare for the last girl that died.

Seriously, in the morning announcement, Nurse Muja scheduled therapy sessions for next week and there were fliers about Amai's funeral being hold on the weekend. Many students in the hallways were saying how they'll try and be there but Ayano bets that they're just saying that to be nice to Amai's memory.

There were real grievers like Budo and there were also fake grievers, people who barely knew the Cooking President and yet shed so many tears, regretting how they didn't talk to her or whatever.

Yesterday, the whole thing after school for Amai, Ayano played the part as a sympathizer at Info's insistence and scolding and yelling. She listened to Budo and Kokona ramble about how they miss her oh so dearly and Ayano nodded along.

In the corner of her eye she saw Osana talk to Senpai on one of the benches _and what a bitch Osana is!_

Apparently, Info-chan was also there watching her, ever the weirdo, and even texted her to cool her jets and don't be a fucking idiot.

Once they got home Info listened to Ayano's ranting about how Amai and Osana do not deserve Taro Yamada. A part of Ayano pains to admit that she feels betrayed by Osana for just going back to Senpai right after Ayano downed a rival.

Unbelievable! It was like Ayano was doing all the work to get Senpai alone and single.

"And miserable!" Info had unnecessarily added.

Ayano ignored that of course.

She thought that everyone will at least dial back the tears today but that's out of the window with people still crying in the morning. The crying and tears and the mopey behaviors is everywhere and Ayano is getting frustrated.

Info is literally the only person Ayano can talk to about this because Kokona's so emotional and if Ayano sees her cry one more time she might do something stupid.

Ayano texted to Info as she got out of class, "Do people really need therapy for this?!"

 _"Yes, sometimes talking about your feelings helps you. I'm predicting that things will actually be better if a lot of students go to therapy."_

"Better how? People will stop crying?"

 _"Just generally things will be better. Some of the more optimistic characters will mature in a way or introverts might start expressing themselves to their friends more."_

"Or the exact opposite can happen and things might get worst."

She didn't respond for a while but eventually typed, _"Yeah, things can get worst too. Also hey, remember to keep yourself in check. You misbehaving and acting like your usual self will not also get people suspicious of you but also Nemesis and probably Kaga too."_

"You do not need to remind me."

 _"Yes I do, especially with what's ahead of you."_

"I'm sure the future is just peachy."

 _"No, I was being literal. I'm reminding you to not be an idiot."_

Ahead of Ayano was Osana talking to Taro. Plain and simple, they were just walking down the hallway, about to pass her.

 _"Ayano, when they see you, just fucking nod in acknowledgment."_ Indeed, when they passed each other, Osana gave her a quick smile before continue to talk to Senpai and Ayano complied with Info's words. _"Good, that might not make things awkward in your friend group."_

"Where the fuck are you? I know you're here."

 _"The plan is in motion so just be patient. Talk to you later Ayano."_

"INFO!"

The rest of the day went as smoothly as can be. With the whole getting over depression but that's basically normal for high school students.

Who's dumb idea was it to entrap hordes of emotional, hormonal kids with developing brains at different levels all in one place supervised by a system that's supposed to manufacture them into the ideal image of a new generation when 'new' is really the old guidelines of the older generations to make the youth carbon copies or cheap labor?

…Look Ayano's smart enough to be aware of the bullshit of society, give her some credit. It's the emotional side of everything and social cues that Ayano doesn't care (or know how) to participate with.

Kokona Haruka is the one who makes an effort to befriend Ayano and that resulted with some resolve to have attachments with the purple haired girl. She wormed herself into Ayano's life with only the littlest of resentments and regrets. Ayano never really had the time to dwell too much on her feelings about Kokona other than when she was dealing with Kokona's problems. She just chalked it up to weird emotions compelling her to do whatever she could to make Kokona happy. That went well with threatening a loan shark and traumatizing his daughter.

Now seeing Kokona bawl her heart out over Amai it is a slow drawling realization that Ayano did this to Kokona.

By lunch that uncomfortable feeling is still there in Ayano as she sits next to Kokona on the rooftop benches. Saki's on her other side hugging her. As non-awkwardly as she can, Ayano patted Kokona's shoulder. Kokona remained quiet within the context of crying into Saki's arms.

Ayano sighs. This is truly depressing, a tad annoying but still depressing.

As much as Ayano wants to do something to make Kokona feel better, there's also Taro, Osana, and Info nagging at the back of her mind.

Last Ayano saw of the two of them, they were on speaking terms with each other but still looked extreme awkward and sad. It wasn't their usual awkwardness but that sense of melancholy is what made the difference. They were acting like strangers trying to connect but Ayano spied on them for months, she knows it's only a matter of time before things are patched up between them.

Kokona hiccups through her tears, gaining Ayano's attention as she grabs her hand.

"Okay, I'm good," she assures although her voice cracks.

"We know babe," Saki confirms and lets Kokona move away from her embrace.

Kokona takes her time wiping her face and returns her hands to the girls at her side. "Thanks for being here for me."

"I got nowhere else to be," Ayano said plainly. That gets a laugh out of Kokona and Ayano doesn't know if her words truly deserve a smile. "But really, I just want you to stop crying."

"Yeah I do too but this just sucks." Her grip on the girls' hands tightened, "Things were starting to get better in life. My dad stopped drinking and out of debt, I can be with anyone I want without pressure, but then this happens."

"Bad things just happen," Saki nudges her head with Kokona's.

Ayano makes bad things happen, Ayano thinks. Her life is literally made up of bad things.

"Oh Ayano," she hears and then Ayano gets side hugged by Kokona. "If you need to cry, then cry."

"I am not going to cry."

"You had a miserable look on your face," Saki said. "It's different than your usual neutral face."

Tensing up, Ayano looks away from them. "To be honest, I don't quite know how to feel about all of this."

"Because you don't exactly like Amai?" Saki guessed, sounding a bit unimpressed. "What you and Osana have been doing so far is fine. Just letting everyone grieve and not causing a scene like some overly dramatic, attention seeking person out to make everyone suffer. Hell, if anything, I thought you'd go rushing to Taro's side before Osana did."

Still hugging Ayano, Kokona pinched Saki's arm. "Hey we encouraged her to talk with him and that's what they're doing right now. I mean they're back to being side by side but it'll take time and effort for their friendship to be rebuilt."

"Then what's next?" Ayano bitterly asked. "They'll go back to their routine or will Osana make a move on him?"

She felt Kokona shift her head to Saki and then back to her. Ayano continued to stare at the ground when Kokona said, "Um I think Osana might consider giving up having a romantic relationship with Taro. They're both not in a good place right now so they'll won't give much thought about getting together like that. They just need each other as support."

All Ayano could respond was, "Huh."

"Really, that surprises you?" Saki scoffed.

"A lot of things surprise me," Ayano fought off the urge to shrug because Kokona had her head on her shoulder, "I guess I'm not too aware of things because, well, I don't see a point into caring about stuff."

"Don't you care about yourself?" Kokona asks and Ayano can feel the concern in her voice.

"I do," she says quickly, almost defensively and her friends' stare starts to feel weird.

"Not to doubt you or anything but," Saki takes a quick glance at Kokona and back to Ayano, "you got more bruises."

"So?" Ayano tries to say as nonchalantly as she can. With everyone moping over Amai, she didn't think anyone would notice her new bruises, courtesy of the Midori clones that restrained her and forcibly escorted her in and out of Kaga's lab. She didn't have a thought about using the makeup kit Kokona got her because the offer Kaga presented to her was still mocking her day and night.

Could he be right?

Could Taro Yamada not be her answer?

Kokona brings her out of her thoughts by hugging her tightly, "Please just know that we care about you, okay?"

"Okay," Ayano said with a slight pause between the syllables.

[]

[]

[]

It

Is

Time

For

 _REVENGE_

 ** _MOTHERFUCKER_**

Alright that might be a bit much but god damn this is what Info-chan is feeling.

Without her top notch technology, Info did her absolute best with the domestic equipment at Ayano's house. Ayano's computer might not be her laptop (her pride and joy) but it was substantial enough to hack into the hardware of Megami Saikou. A quick scan pinged that two unknown signals were tapping into her video calls, Info's signal ID and presumably Nemesis' signal ID.

In actuality, for each video call there was a different unknown signal, again presumably belonging to Nemesis, but after days of tracing all the signals down she finally found one source and left a message hidden in plain sight within the code. Not a virus per say but definitely something that will alert the user.

And then she waited.

And then Ayano killed Amai and she still waits.

Also what the fuck was Ayano thinking? Info kind of gets her situation but at the same time, she doesn't get Ayano. It's one thing to read from a file and another to see the person right before you. Info sees some solution to this case but she doesn't know which one is best or even efficient. If Info had more time and less looming threats, she would have hacked medical facilities to help out Ayano.

But she doesn't have time because on Friday, Nemesis contacts her back.

It was the agent working on this assignment and she agreed to work with her.

Info is not too worried for a betrayal. Remember that little non-virus from before? Yeah she couldn't help but dig into some information out of the agent's tech. She didn't dig too deep but enough to see the tabs that the agent took.

Like she thought there were many student profiles on people of interest namely Megami, Kaga, and Midori. It doesn't appear that Info's profile, the one with her real name, was noted as suspicious but it was temping to freak out about the file archiving every single student of Akademi High School. Aside from the student archive files, there were a few encrypted messages sent to the agent.

It was the mission objective and a receipt of the hit request on Kaga and Info with some rather interesting notes attached to it.

There were notes about their true objective on infiltrating the school.

This was Info's way in.

She and the agent relayed their plan as the clock ticked away to the end of the school day. Info slipped another hand written note into Ayano's foot locker (which hopefully won't get ignored in favor of Taro again) explaining that the plan has begun.

Ayano is keeping up her alibi by going through her usual routine while Info stays in her secret office inside the school. When Info first started this broker job she stored away her tech and other wares inside the old storage supply closet and there she just sits and tap away on her laptop. It was easy for her to just stay in the small room for all her free time but she was growing with power as Info-chan.

Instead of just information she got the idea to trade objects of interest, cigarettes, pills, test answers. Way in the beginning of all of this, she started all of this to get money and lots of it but she couldn't make herself do it. Having panty shots as her economy actually started with a joke and it was just hilarious to her that her costumers went through it. (Is she a pervert? Well she doesn't have to answer that)

Her operation was becoming bigger, bigger than the supply closet she has been working in. So she carefully planned out which classrooms were empty for the longest periods of time, preferably on the second story so that a supply drop can be thrown out the window.

There were a few times when a student (cough Midori or Kaga and surprisingly Furredo cough) got too curious about her identity and location. When moving to different classrooms everyday wasn't enough to shake them off, Info resorted to climbing out the window, yes the second story window, with all her incriminating stuff. That took a lot of practice then later resorted to threatening Furredo and Info finally felt safe from having her identify revealed.

Kaga never gave up though. He hired her for a hack and then curiosity and money got the better of her and down the rabbit hole they went.

Thanks to Nemesis' wipe of her tech, Info hasn't been in operation in a while. She's sure that the student population has picked up that fact but then again, there are bigger issues on the table than the disappearance of an anonymous info broker.

Right now Info sits inside her favorite empty classroom to put the final touches on her plan. It is after school, everyone in the building has begun to file out and leave the campus. She knows that the staff has left early for the weekend and she doesn't blame them for leaving. School has not been fun lately.

It is around six when Ayano arrives to prepare for her part.

"This is some bootleg spy gear Info," she said, picking at the earpiece that Info has been tinkering with for the past few hours.

Info has scattered bits and pieces of tech on the teacher's desk. An earpiece is wired to her laptop that she recovered from home. It felt like forever for the laptop to start working and even more so for Info to hook up to earpieces and a headset and mic attachment together.

"Here, this is ready for you," Info disconnects the earpiece and hands it to Ayano. "I've added a tracker to it so I can monitor your location."

"Ah, we'll be in Kaga's lab."

"You only know the entrance to it, I want the exact coordinates."

Ayano placed the bud in her ear, "Underground?"

She ignored that and typed away, testing the tracker, her headset and mic, and volume settings. "Alright everything seems good."

"Should I even ask where you got all of this?"

The garbage dumpster and cans behind the local electronics and tech store is the answer that Info will never say out loud. "No." She hands Ayano the thumb drive containing her malware virus, "Don't forget this. Once in a drive port, files will transfer to my laptop and the virus will hopefully destroy everything."

"I still think I should have a camera with me," Ayano said, pocketing the virus.

"Well I don't have a small spy camera that can be hidden on you. Also spy glasses are out of the question, it'll be too suspicious that you suddenly wear glasses. And no offense but I don't think you can pull off the glasses look," Info tapped her glasses frame for emphasis.

Ayano scoffed, the closest thing to laugh that will ever leave her mouth, "Please, I don't need glasses to have a look."

The time to meet up with Nemesis is here. After one last check between the Ayano's earpiece and Info's headset, Ayano leaves to the meet up place. The echo of footfalls is picked up on the mic for Info to listen to, adding to her anxiety, as Ayano heads to the vending machines.

Once there they hear, "You're late."

"Well hello to you too Midori," Ayano said.

There a silence that Info can only predict that Ayano is being sized up. "You're not Info-chan."

Unfortunately Ayano was not prepared for that and said, "Uh yes I am."

"Ayano, make sure that she's Nemesis," Info guides.

"What about you? Are you Nemesis?"

"No! If that's really Midori you just tipped her off that you're trying to contact Nemesis!" Info hissed, already pulled her hair.

Another pause happens.

"Ugh this is annoying. Aishi, please just hand me the earpiece."

"…What ear piece," she says in a dull, awkward tone.

"You are terrible at this." Ayano makes a defeated huff and there's a muffling noise as she hands the earpiece over. "Hello Info-chan."

Without missing a beat, Info said, "Prove that you're Nemesis or else the deal is off."

"Do you trust your friend here?" And that catches Info off guard but confirms with a yes. "Aishi, note the differences between me and Midori."

Ayano hesitates but concentrates, "For starters your voice may be on the same pitch as Midori but you're not as peppy as her right now which is really weird to hear because you're disguised as her. Like she's all cheery and showy no matter what and you are calm and frowning. You also have a lot of muscles too, like Budo and other athletes."

When Ayano trails off Info is still a little wary. The girl in question continues, "That's the physical description. If you want more proof then, hmm, I guess I'll tell you what's on the file under your real name. Let's see, what can I recall?" She hums and Info knows it's to mess with her.

"Can you just stop with the mind games?" Ayano asked.

"Info-chan, you have an average grade point average but only in the beginning of the semester; in your search history, the safe for work part at least, is a lot of scholarship applications to colleges and universities that's in the area. What really intrigues me is that you got yourself a job in fast food but got fired because you're under the legal working age, of course that wasn't added to the official paper work. People don't want their business to be known to be tricked by a high school student," Nemesis said with a snarky finish.

"Alight, I believe you Nemesis or shall I call you Agent?"

"Nemesis is fine," she answers. "Now that that's settled, let's go get Kusha."

Ayano leads them to the lab, their footsteps are picked up on the mic and it's all that Info hears as she watches Ayano's tracker move on her laptop monitor. Being patient was taxing on her mind, idly waiting as her friend and newest ally enter the secret elevator without a hitch.

"So I was taken to the Lab Beta floor before," Ayano reads over the floor options. "There's buttons for Lab Alpha, Garage and Storage, Data, and uh."

Nemesis finished, "Midori is Awesome. The last button really says that."

"We are not going there."

"Just pick one of the labs," Info suggested.

"Wait," Ayano said and Info can only imagine how frustrated she is, "Is Kaga even here?"

Nemesis provides the answer and assures, "He hasn't left the campus. I've been keeping taps on him and he always enters and leaves through the Science Clubroom but now I'm a little unsure because of the garage button."

Ayano sighs, "Fuck it, Lab Alpha it is."

The digital grid map of the school is on Info's laptop and her eyes follow Ayano's tracker getting lowered and lowered after Ayano pressed the button for the Alpha labs. The elevator ride was quiet, aside from the elevator music, with Info informing Ayano that they were currently three hundred yards below the surface level.

By four hundred yards deep, the elevator started moving horizontal.

"Are you sure you don't feel like you're moving to the side?"

"It feels like the elevator is not moving. Like at all," Ayano muttered, unsure if there were camera or microphones in the elevator. "But I am sure that we've passed the Beta labs by now."

Finally her tracker stops moving and Nemesis breaths out, "Into the belly of the beast."

Info nervously taps her fingers on the keyboard, watching the tracker move. She has no idea what they're seeing and it's very unnerving to her, all she's able to do is hope.

Hmm, maybe this is how Megami Saikou feels, always on the other side of the screen and far away from the danger. Info scowls at drawing comparisons between her and the rich girl. Once upon a time she was envious of the Student Council President, now she pities her.

Dismissing the thoughts, Info's attention is snapped back to what Ayano's earpiece is receiving.

"Midori, what's going on?" It's Midori addressing the disguised girl.

"Ayano's here to team up and yah know, probably peg for forgiveness," and if Info didn't know better she'd be convinced by Nemesis' performance. Ayano was right about their voices being on the same cadence or pitch and with just the right acting skills, it's a flawless disguised.

"I am not going to beg," Ayano growls, "Just get Kaga here."

"Hey you're not the boss here but fine," Midori said childishly and there's even loud stomps following the voice going around Ayano.

"Do I really need, what, eight of you to guard me?" Ayano said, tipping off that they aren't alone. "It's almost flattering."

Assuming that a Midori stands up to her, another Midori's voice is weirdly really close to the mic and she says in a low tone, "You're forgetting how easy it was for one of us to knock you off your high horse, Ayano."

Ayano huffs confidently, "Well I have been itching for a rematch. It's very rude of you to make me wait, shame on you."

"Please, like you know how to treat a gal right."

"I know how to treat a bitch in your case."

There are many long "Oh!" in the background.

Info is face palming and mouthing, why, why is that happening.

"We can take this onto the training mats. I'd love to see you pinned onto the ground."

"Not if I pin you first," is Ayano's comeback.

If Info is not mistaken, she hears Midori make a cross between a growling and a purring noise.

"Are you too done playing gay chicken?" A Midori interrupts. Info can only guess that it was Nemesis because she used a deadpan attitude rather than a sarcastic one. Hopefully the Midori ensemble didn't get suspicious because there's a lot of distant giggling.

Ayano even does a cough to clear her throat which doesn't clear up her dignity. The Midori in front of her notably moves away from the earpiece, also snickering.

"Ignoring all of that!" Info franticly shouts and is a bit weirded out because her friend just flirted with the enemy, "There's a lot of Midoris in the room so planting the virus will be harder than I thought. And she said training mats? Lab Alpha might be dedicated to Midori because they are a finished project to an extent. All Kaga does to them is give them an upgrade so the combat training must be a new thing."

Ayano hummed a confirmation noise which is as good as a response as she'll get.

It wasn't long before Ayano greets, "Hello Kaga."

There's a slow clap and he says, "For once, you're acting civil and not spiting on my floor."

"You did that? Nice job," Info praises, holding in a laugh.

A spiting noise occurs and Info laughs.

"Okay, why?" Kaga yells, very perplexed.

Humming again, this time nonchalantly, is Ayano's answer and Info just knows that she's shrugging.

"Can't fucking believe you," Info snickers, trying to contain her laughter, "I just can't."

"I'm accepting your offer so just give it to me and I'll help you."

Kaga goes quiet and to be honest, Info doesn't know what to make of that. And then he laughs softly, "Wow, this is very intriguing. Again, I assume that this is all Info-chan's plan, right? Or better yet," he takes a few loud footsteps closer, but not closer to Ayano, "This is all your idea Nemesis."

Info hears a struggle happening hundreds of fight below her and she can do nothing but listen as she hears Ayano and Nemesis grunt and curse and yell. It takes six minutes of fighting before things sound like they're winding down. Info racks her brain, imaging what the fuck is happening and she furiously types into her laptop.

Ever since she learned about Kaga's secret lab she's been trying to find a signal or any digital trace but it's difficult to find active technology that's buried very below the Earth's surface level. Whatever program or coding or hacking Info does, it doesn't work and all she can do is listen.

She guesses that Ayano and Nemesis got retrained by the Midori clones because right now, Ayano is cursing and screeching.

Tutting his tongue, Kaga begins his villain speech to mock Nemesis. "You are not as clever as you think. You may have planted Midori's tracker on you but did you really not think that it has her own number ID on her tracker?"

"Ah, so it's her fault her got caught," Ayano said.

Nemesis is probably glaring at her, Info predicts.

"Actually, you're right Ayano. If Info had never befriended you, I honestly think you'd be teaming up with me. By the way, what has Info done for you?"

Ayano's quiet and says uncertainly, "Be my friend?"

He laughs, a bit shocked, "Really? That's it? But she knows. We both know what's wrong with you."

"Info knows what's wrong with me?" She repeats softly.

Back on the surface level, Info gulps.

"Yeah," Kaga said as if it was very obvious, "We had to keep an eye on you ever since you killed that girl from months ago. Sloppy job by the way but, you've improved ever since. Anyway, after doing some light research on you, we, or shall I say only me, figured you out pretty well. I mean, look how happy your mother is with your father. The only problem is that while you have a very similar condition like Mrs. Aishi, you have a very different personality and mentality compared to her. So I'd propose my offer to help you because your mother's answer hasn't been very sufficient hasn't it?

"'Love is the answer' is what you've been told," he continued, as if quoting a sonnet, "Finding that special someone that will make you feel complete. You'd put so much expectation and dependability on the ideal of a special person who will give you love. That image of loving someone and being loved, you forced that image onto Taro Yamada but that's just it. You _forced_ yourself to believe in that coping mechanism, to hope that he would be the answer of your problems. Do you even like Taro? Do you feel emotionally attached to him because he was nice to you or because of your mother's repetitive advice you feel obligated to fall in love with him?"

The lab was silent, everyone paying attention to Kaga as he enthralled them with his analysis. Info didn't even know that he went thoroughly in depth on Ayano. She stopped researching after every legal document on Ryoba Aishi. It appears that Kaga just had to find out more.

"If you choose him out of impatience then I won't blame you on that but I don't think that Taro is really worth all this blood and violence. Taro Yamada isn't the answer to your inability to feel and comprehend emotions. Ayano, I can't put this lightly but I think that you're sick and you don't even realize it. As inexplicit as it is, we both know from your mother that this… trait is genetic. Your mother got her supposed cure by marring your father. Happily ever after for her and then she had you and you got her condition."

Nobody says anything for a while, sinking in all the information.

"You're looking for a cure, Ayano, and I think I can provide it," Kaga offers and at this instant, Info knows that she'll lose because Kaga is not bluffing. "Info may give you friendship but she can't afford to help you while I can."

"Info," Ayano address suddenly, making her jump in her seat, "You knew?"

"I, I only know about your mother's history," she explains, "Everything else, about you, I only speculated."

"You could've _helped_ me," Ayano stated angrily.

"I don't know how to help you!" She admits.

Ayano snapped at her, "But Kaga does."

"Because he has money and has done medical research! Things that I do not have!"

"You could have done something!" Ayano begins to yell, "You could have done anything!"

"Oh like you would let me help you in the first place!" Info shouts back, "I may not understand your medical condition but I know you Ayano and you hate talking about yourself because you don't know what to do _help yourself_. You fucking need Kaga to blackmail you to start thinking about questioning your problems and how you're approaching them!"

Their shouting fest is interrupted by Nemesis, also yelling, "Hey, quit it!"

"Hi Info-chan," Kaga greets cheerfully.

Before anyone else can shout more profanities at each other, a blaring alarm went off.

Midori's voice was projected by an intercom system but was covered by static as she announced with panic and fear, "Mayday, mayday! Something is falling down the elevator shaft! It's heading to Alpha!"

"What!" Kaga exclaimed, "Midori, explain! You four, guard the elevator entrance."

The Midori on the intercom couldn't be heard clearly, there was too much static and then a rumbling was steadily picking up. "It's big! And everything is glitching!"

"Ayano, what is going on?" Info demanded, so far away from the growing madness. Up in the empty, dark classroom was such a stark contrast to the loud commotion down below.

"Lights are flickering, the ground is starting to shake, Kaga looks like he's going to pee himself," she listed.

Kaga injected, "No I'm not!"

"I have no idea what the fuck is going on," Ayano concluded.

 _THUNK_

 _BOOM_

 _SCREECH_

 _RRRRAAAAAAAAAAA!_

"I have no idea what the fucking hell is going on!" Ayano repeated which is drowned out by the Midori clones screaming.

Bangs of metal join the screams and then static is slowly emitting in the earpiece.

"Ayano, what's going on? Our connection is failing!" Info again furiously types, attempting to boost her signal beacon to Ayano's earpiece but no dice, static is muffling the screams, clangs, bashes, and roars.

All that Info could make out of Ayano's yells were "Holy fuck!", "Fucking shit!", "Is that O-", and "ARMS?!"

Nemesis on the other hand kept saying, "Custodian call! Custodian call! Custodian call!" and also some other words in different languages.

The Midori clones contributed to the screaming with "Great monopoly's monocle!", "Yandere dev, yandere dev!", "Interlude!", and "NOPE!"

She barely heard Kaga command, "Get me my MEKA! Yes the blue one, version three!"

But lastly, before their connection was severed by a loud roar, Ayano said as calmly as she could, "If this doesn't work, I will haunt you, Info. I, I don't want to be alone."

It was instantly quiet when the connection broke.

Info clawed at her hair for the agonizing three seconds of complete silence before her laptop beeped, sending cold rush over her as her attention snapped back to what's on screen.

 _ALERT_

 _[ ] has commenced_

 _Beginning Transfer…_

 _[ **1** ] of [ **37** ] Files Transferring…_

She did it. Ayano implanted the drive but she's still down there.

Info can't just leave Ayano down there.

Info jumps up and dashes to the Science Clubroom.

She couldn't think of anything that could help them by sitting and waiting on a laptop. The façade of the Science Clubroom looked intact and clean but after slamming the button to reveal the secret elevator, it was a mess.

The panels slid away to reveal the elevator shaft where it's beams were bent and smashed and the steel walls itself were dented too. The elevator wires were ripped and still sparkling with dying electricity, dangling from where it hanged. Emergency lights were asymmetrically lining down the shaft but majority of the lights were either shattered or flickering dimly. Built into the wall is a metal ladder, descending to the unseen bottom of the shaft. It too is damaged on the journey down by whatever has adventured to Kaga's labs.

Down below, the roars were faintly heard. The sound vibrates parts of the ladder that's already knocked off its hinges.

Standing at the edge of the damaged elevator shaft, Info decides that even though she has no idea on how to help them, she's going to try.

Info scales down the ladder.

END OF WEEK TWO

* * *

 _Hi, I am bummed to say that after the interlude there will be a mid season hiatus because school has started and Life can take up a lot of time away from writing. Thank you all for reading this story of mine!_

 _To be honest, Info is really stepping up to be the protagonist here and I am loving it. The psychoanalysis on Ayano is my favorite part and it had to be Kaga of all people to spell it out to her because of how she doesn't know how to healthily cope with her issues. She's aware of society but she's not aware of how to react to it and thus she is a mess._

 _Edit: Info's line of "motherfucker" deserves to be italicized and bold. Again I did my best with the demon dialog._

 _Before I forget, this Arc is lovingly titled Dumb Teenagers!_

 _Next Chapter - Weekend Interlude: Some Work Days_


	11. Some Work Days

_start C:/program/agent/log/_

 _…Loading…_

 _COMPLETE_

 _new_audio_log_entry:_

"In summary of my week long investigation of Akademi High School," the Nemesis agent began professionally and the computer screen automatically typed her words. "I have to admit, things went beyond my initial expectations. Yes I have been prepped with the public and not so public information of Kusha but seeing his projects in mere Beta testing was overwhelming to say the least."

She sighs, agitated. "I may not be a part of the Tech and Mechanics crew but Kusha's MEKA is astounding and powerful against that… thing. I bet the crew would even be impressed. Medical were already scratching their heads when I brought in the clone from Monday. I already said my thoughts about Midori in an earlier entry," she says swiftly, "No need to repeat myself."

"Moving on to the mysterious Info-chan. She's more protective of her friend than I thought but then again I'm aware of her background. The deal we made, well to be honest I'm hoping that it's still on and she can be a great asset to the mission." The agent paused. "After what transpired on Friday evening, she messaged me, asking if I was alright. Maybe she's protective of me as well but that doesn't make too much sense. Does it?

"No, I'll just chalk it up to adrenaline and fear for Aishi's wellbeing. They're a good fit together, her and Aishi. Back in the labs, I saw them escaping together through the garage unit and I don't think Info-chan saw me follow them. I'm glad to know that they're safe for the weekend but I know how much of a threat they are. Info-chan is much more resourceful than I was led to believe, sneaking into the lab when it's in chaos and hacking into one of Kusha's many cars did impress me. She must have had tough time keeping a leveled head in that situation.

"As for Aishi, this lovesickness that she has, I've heard of similar cases but none as young as her. With Kusha's analysis on her and the legal records on her mother, I believe that everything he said was true. Ayano is now on Nemesis' list of potential dangers thanks to my report on her, but for now I won't get involved in her life since she did help me out. It's the least I can do and if she doesn't see me as a threat, she won't notice that I'm keeping her in check."

She's quiet for a moment. "Friday evening. Okay I've been stalling long enough. Oka Ruto. I am still processing everything regarding her and that… that _thing_. It was unfathomable but it caused so much damage. I've been on many field missions but nothing such as _that_ has ever occurred on a physical level. Ruto has made a contract with a demon. The higher ups are just as confused and afraid as I am.

"When she came out of the elevator shaft, those arms were grabbing and throwing the clones or bashing the walls and cracking the ceiling. When she opened her mouth, an ungodly noise came out and it was deafening. I didn't realize it at the time but I recall the computers and lights glitching and error windows flipped on and off. The demon kept tearing up and smashing the clones it was," the agent gulped, "It was gruesome. There was no mercy. That's about when Kusha came back into the room piloting his MEKA suit. I'll admit did I stay around to observe the fight. His MEKA was heavily armored, loaded with missiles, a god damn mechanical sword, and an empty barrel on its left arm. It lacked a power core so it must have been still in the testing phase. Regardless, Ruto dismantled it whilst fighting and Kusha managed to jump out of the cockpit.

"He ordered all the Midori clones to hold off Ruto while he lead the way to the garage unit where Info promptly follows his actions on how to active his cars and escape the collapsing labs. I wished I had more time in the labs and learn more about his projects but like I said, the labs were becoming shambles by the time we got to the garage. Surprisingly the garage led out to the other side of town but I did see other routes in Kaga's underground layout so I'll be leading a team to explore further in it tomorrow.

"Ruto is still a major threat at large. My commanders heed caution and patience but I already know what their orders will be. I have to go back to the school to make sure that she's not there again and to make sure that everyone is safe. I might," she hesitates but then says firmly, "I have to put that above mission priorities."

Her tone went from serious to a faster, calculating pace, "Now I know we don't have enough people or resources but I think that if I can get Tech and Medical to side with me here, I'll be able to get my hands on something that will definitely stop Ruto. After Friday, I've been researching what kind of demon we're dealing with but so far I got nothing and as for solutions for this threat, well there is always one answer that will work but might have some repercussion."

 _BEEP-BEEP_

"Huh, Medical," she says and a button sound effect went off with a boop, "Hel-"

"We got a problem, kid!" Someone shouts, "The clones are in here!"

There is a beat and then a "What!"

"And they keep chanting nursey rhymes! It's getting creepier by the minute!"

In the background of the phone call it can be heard said rhymes but also a war cry, "Let's go Otter Team Midori!"

"Get here and stop them from stealing the body! Half of security is downed and the other half are further away from you!"

"Right away!" Another beep ended the call and Nemesis yells, "Fucking Kusha and Gurin!"

 _end C:/program/agent/log_

* * *

 _Hi, it is hiatus time. We are halfway through this story. Thanks for reading!_

 _Normally, I have the Arc titles planned and ready to announce by the end of said arc but this time is different._

 _Next Arc/Week Three: Oka Calls the Shots_

 _Edit: Did minor edits on Nemesis' diary. Also!_

 _Next Chapter - Start of Arc/Week Three: Damage Control_


	12. Damage Control

ST **A** RT **O** F WEE **K** THREE

It is Monday and Ayano Aishi gained and lost a new car.

Well technically it's Kaga's and Info is the one who disabled the tracker and overrode the controls and drove it home but it sat in her garage.

So, in concept and in no technicality or legal binding, Ayano got a car.

And then she lost it over the weekend.

She checked the empty garage after finding a note left on the kitchen counter reading: "I'm sorry I got you into this mess and I promised that I'll get you of it – Info-chan"

Once again, Ayano was alone.

She didn't like it. The weekend returning back to being alone with her thoughts, she didn't like it at all.

First, she wasn't used to the company, at the sheer idea that someone is willingly living under the same roof as her. To acknowledge another presence and interacting with them feels so foreign to Ayano. To suddenly not be alone in such a long time feels like some… _thing, anything at all._

 _To have feelings and then for it to suddenly be gone the next morning, just leaving her with a stupid note-_

 _Info._

Info knew.

She knew about Ayano's condition.

She admitted to be confused about it, that's understandable, but she _knew_.

And then she left.

Just like her parents.

A part of Ayano wants to point out that they left for probably different reasons but the results were the same.

Ayano Aishi was abandoned.

On Monday morning, Ayano spent any and all free time to search for any redhead girl. Her mind state was just tunnel vision to find Info-chan in person because there's no way they were going to discuss this mess in fucking text messages. (Besides, Ayano's phone was still buggy from the incident in the lab)

If she acted very strange to her fellow classmates, she did not care. She searched high and low for Info and nothing was going to stop her.

"Ayano, you bitch, fucking stop," was said in a deadpan tone.

"You _really_ ," Kokona stressed, "didn't need to say that!"

Saki shrugged and patted the empty spot next to her, "Come on Ayano, it's lunch and we got food for yah."

Kokona had to physically get Ayano to sit down between them. She didn't resist but she did emit a grumpy sigh. "You've been um, really upset today."

"I'm looking for Info," Ayano explained.

Instantly, Saki and Kokona tensed up and glanced around the fountain courtyard. The other students seemed to be wrapped up in their own conversations so no trouble there but who knows what ears are around. There were always rumors that the info broker bugged the whole school.

"Alright-y then!" Saki said very intently to change the subject, "Be careful with that. Anyway, here's some food!"

Saki hands over a bento meal to Ayano who begins to eat away her frustrations.

"Ayano, whatever you're going through, just know that we're here for you," Kokona assured with a hand on Ayano's shoulder. "But um, please, we don't want any one of us to be on the bad side of… her."

"Well, she's on _my_ bad side," Ayano growled and then accidently bite too hard on her metal fork. Wincing, she continued, "I was convinced that she cares about me but she hasn't done anything to actually prove it. All she has are words but that wasn't good enough. I _need_ -"

Ayano stopped herself.

Ayano continued eating her rice, ignoring Saki's and Kokona's skeptic looks.

"Um, if that's all you can say then that's fine Ayano, we won't push you."

"Yeah, this is between you and her," Saki added, "Not us."

Nodding, she agreed, "I really don't want you all to be involved in this."

Thankfully, Saki changed the subject. Not so thankfully she was talking about Amai's funeral. From what Ayano gathered, it was only Amai's family, her club, Saki, and most of the Club Presidents that were there.

That wasn't too surprising to be honest. Everyone in class is slowly getting out of their depression phase, at the very least no one cried so the students were once again lethargic, unmotivated, and moody. Like she thought, the rest of the students might have said that they would go to grace her with all that… punish… pun Nash… pin ass… Panache (that's the word) and grace her with all that panache and honor and… love.

Amai was so loved by people who actually cared about her.

…Ayano blocked out the rest of the conversation as it dies out.

Right before they part off for class, Kokona whispers into Ayano's ear.

"If there's anyone here that got the closest to finding Info-chan, it's Kaga Kusha and Fedduro Junzo."

Hmm, she doesn't care much about the Photography Club President and honestly, she pushed away the thought of speaking with Kaga any more than necessary. Ayano wanted to get Info's side of this but she ran away. As for Kaga, he might be still willing to help and, well, Ayano can only hope that he won't blame her for his collapsing lab.

That was Oka's fault.

Fucking hell, Oka _wrecked_ the secret lab and the Midori clones in it.

In fact, Ayano doesn't feel threatened at all. Oka kept screaming for Kaga's blood when she invaded the lab so things are looking up for Ayano.

Yep, things are going swell.

She's not in mortal peril. At least it doesn't feel like it.

She's still going to avoid the Occult Clubroom for the rest of her life.

But…

Should she risk talking to him?

As Ayano pounders about it, she's aimlessly wandering around the school right when the final bell rings. All is back to normal for Monday.

Fuck, even things between Taro Yamada and Osana Najimi are back to normal, regrettably.

Kokona's theory about their friendship seemed to be right, the two childhood friends were back into their routine but they seemed quieter. Ayano found them sitting on the fountain edge, they weren't talking but something didn't seem quite the same.

Maybe it's because their psychological issues started off from each other and their growing separation.

Eh, this is what Info said when Ayano actually listened because hey, she's been paying close attention to their lives, why stop now.

If anyone asked, it was curiosity and not concerned that motivated Ayano to peek her head behind the door and spy on them.

Yeah… she got caught. Usually, Osana was busy ogling Taro but nowadays her eyes wandered around to anything but him.

So Osana's the one to notice her presence and waved her over too, "Hey Ayano."

At first, Ayano didn't move because no, this isn't happening, Osana did not just casually wave her over to be with her and Senpai.

And then Taro looked over too and did a small wave too.

Oh.

Oh no.

Should she?

 _Can_ she?

Her feet start moving ahead of her brain.

 _What the fuck are you doing feet?_

Ayano fidgeted her hands together as she takes tedious steps to the pair, leaning more to Osana's side, placing her as far away from Taro as she could without seeming to be too uncomfortable to be near him.

"Hey," Osana greeted, "I thought you'd be in your club by now."

"Budo canceled it. Everyone is still depressed," Ayano simply put, glancing a little too frequently at Taro, her hands still twiddling.

Senpai nodded, understanding perfectly, "Yeah I heard that most of the clubs have canceled too."

"I wouldn't blame them," Osana shrugged.

Ayano then blurted, "Have you two settled your fucking issues now and are going back to your stupid routine of yelling and doing nothing to make things better?"

They were all quite for a moment.

Osana Najimi had her jaw gaped with shock, expressing shock and bewilderment.

Taro Yamada was unnerving Ayano even more by switching his gaze upon her and Osana. He cracked a smile at them, "You sure picked some good friends Osana."

And there it is: Senpai's smile.

In what felt like a lifetime, Ayano blushed, warmth flaring up her cheeks.

That warmth, a sign of emotions, that's real but what Kaga's voice kept reminding her.

Taro Yamada is not her answer.

Taro Yamada is not her cure.

Taro Yamada is not _hers_ _and he never was_.

"No Ayano," Osana fumed at her, "We are not returning to that… that weird friendship of yelling and shit!"

"The word might be, um not toxic I think, but certainly not healthy for the both of us," Taro said. "We'll work things out, I'm certain of it." The two of them shared a soft look, smiling not out of intimacy but out of relief.

Ayano, ever the bystander, felt awkward and used to it.

"Alright," Ayano says as if nothing is alright, still rather uncomfortable at their gaze, "I'm going to leave."

"Wait," Taro said, even reaching out a hand to her and about to catch her wrist but she takes a big step back. At that, Senpai frowns and shrugged, trying to be casual, "Oh um, I wanted to ask if you want to sit down since your club canceled."

Senpai was paying attention to her, hell he wants to be here with her. This is what she always wanted ever since she met him. Yes, his smile still makes her blush and yes her heart is beating fast but for how long will his effect on her last? Would his smile and kindness be enough to sate her?

Instinctively, Ayano looked to someone else for help in socialization. There was only Osana to turn to and even she was giving Ayano a questioning look. Osana scratched her cheek, "Yeah I- we wouldn't mind."

"I'd liked to get along with Osana's friends," he nodded.

Ayano managed to squeak out, "Sure."

Her statue of a stance begins to crack under Senpai's gaze. "Um, do you want to sit down?"

This time it was her voice that cracked. "Sure," and she plopped herself down right next to him, becoming a bundle of nerves and tried to stop her twitching hands by stuffing them under her thighs. Ayano refused to look directly into Taro's eyes and instead stared at his shoes. That's how far as she'll go for right now.

"So," Senpai said, "You joined the Martial Arts Club, that's sounds fun."

"Yeah," Ayano managed to say without a shudder.

Osana popped in, "She's real good at it too, even with a few lessons." At that compliment, Ayano snapped her eyes to Osana. "It's pretty cool right Taro?"

He nodded, "Yeah that's really cool Ayano." Behind him, Osana gave Ayano thumbs up.

This odd conversation continued like this with Ayano being a sorry excuse of a talker, Taro being utterly polite to her and (fuck!) smiling at her, and Osana would add in more compliments to boost up Ayano's confusion and social anxiety and Taro's opinion of her.

It was weird.

Like an out of body experience where Taro is talking to her and Osana is, what, helping her out? Even though her mouth was getting dry from all the talking, she still managed to say some of her own stories.

"You did what?" Osana and Taro laughed.

Ayano snickered too as she remembered, "It wasn't my idea but the rest of the Martial Arts Club called it a harmless initiation on my part."

"You did the water bucket on top of the door trick!" Osana yelled.

"On," Taro's laughter made it hard to hear him properly, "Your club president!"

"Initiation!" Ayano defended, "Last Tuesday the club thought it would be a good initiation to prank our president. I only agreed because it was either prank Budo or prank a teacher. We all knew one was the better choice." She almost slipped and said 'death wish' instead but she did good.

Taro wondered aloud, "What are the other club initiations are like? More pranks?"

"I heard that for the Theater Club," Osana shared, "that you have to stay in character for an entire week."

"Wait," Ayano realized, "Is that why that one guy kept singing? I thought he was just doing drugs or," she shrugged, "really happy he got a C on his quiz."

"I related to that song on a spiritual level," Taro said.

"You kept humming that song for hours!" Osana exaggerated

"No I didn't!"

"She's right," Ayano nodded and choose her words wisely, "Anytime I was near you, you were definately humming that song."

"Thank you!" Osana threw her hands up, "You finally side with me on something even though you pronounced definitely wrong."

"Wait, what?"

"Definitely, like without an A."

"…Oh."

Taro cast a wicked grin at his best friend, "Hey Osana, remember that time?" Osana instantly knew something was up and so tried to pounce at him but Taro jumped out of the way and she landed on Ayano's lap. "Remember that time you said 'don't take things for granite'? Granite like the rock and not grated?"

This time it was Ayano grinning evilly at Osana, still half lying in her lap.

"Oh shut up you two!"

[]

[]

[]

It is day fifteen of her undercover investigation and so far Nemesis had to face clones, two waring geniuses, a mentally unstable girl, a leader falling into their own trap, and another leader already in the thrall of an all-powerful being.

Reporting this to the higher ups was nerve wracking. All they wanted is for her to complete the mission objective but things are getting more difficult. It didn't help that her _supposedly reliable source still has not delivered the files over._

This is what she gets with trusting a freelancer like Info-chan.

Being stealthy and undercover in a high school no less is becoming very taxing to the young agent. She's patient yes but things are just becoming plain annoying, more so when she confronts the person causing the mess.

Kaga Kusha is found alone in his clubroom after the final bell. Right when Nemesis walked in, he glared at her.

"Now that's just cruel." Kusha looked her up and down and spun his seat to return working on the computer.

"This disguise is giving her an alibi," Nemesis defends, fixing the sleeve of her spider web designed glove.

"Oh then do you happen to know where Oka is?"

The fake Oka Ruto glides right next to the scientist. At the lightest touch of her hand on his arm, Kusha tries to whack his arm at her. Naturally, Nemesis pins the arm down to the tabletop. "I was hoping you would provide that answer. And you better provide. I'm not happy with your clones breaking into my base and stealing Gurin, so tell me where she is."

"Sorry 'Oka' I'm not at your beck and call," he answers, gritting his teeth.

Nemesis tilted her head curiously. For the obvious reason, Kusha was angry but that didn't explain the dark shadows under his eyes and his head would bobble from side to side. He looked tired but it was better described as a defeated look.

"You don't know either." He laughed a humorless and flat laugh. "Or you're not going to help me. Fine then, but," she gave him another scan, "you look pathetic and need help."

Kusha blinked at her and she can perfectly imagine him as a stoner as he reached over to grab something from the cylinder pencil holder by the computer. He then put on black shades with the white words of 'THAT DUDE' and turned to her, "Well, it's a good thing I'm on vacation."

All she, the trained-to-kill agent, expert at reconnaissance and undercover, and great spy had to say to the boy genius was, "What."

"Look we're all teenagers," Kusha paused but lowered his shades to squint at her, "Are you a teenager?" She glared. "Classified, got it. As I was saying, we're all teenagers and we need a break."

"You may be on this break of yours but that doesn't ignore the fact that you're still a wanted person of interest and known for doing outrageous, illegal projects that break the laws of nature."

"Hmm," Kusha rubbed his chin, "But isn't there other dangerous targets wandering around this school? I believe that they require more attention since I'm on vacation and being harmless."

Growling, Nemesis harshly snatched his shades off and snapped them, letting them crumble out of her hand, "Vacation or not, I will keep an eye on you."

A smile creeped onto Kusha and, this fuck, he pulls out another pair of shades out of his lab coat pocket and puts them on. "So you're ordered to not kill me. This really is a break. It's not like I enjoy having girls throwing themselves at me to shank me but hey, it just keeps happening!"

She can think of a million ways to murder Kusha and get away from it but orders are orders. Nemesis crossed her arms and looked at his computer. On screen tabs and windows opened about medical files or therapist notes on how to treat any sort of love or obsession sickness. "Kusha are you going to bribe this information to Aishi?"

"Bribe her? No I'm going to give this to her. If she wants to improve her health then she should go to therapy, the good ones and not the ones who misdiagnose her like her mom and her doctors. But the information I got so far isn't sufficient enough but surely therapy and medications can help her right?"

He looked at his computer with hesitance, which must be a first for him.

"You're used to working with girls that came from a lab?" He sported a flustered frown. Sighing, Nemesis rubbed her eyes, "I've seen many similar cases to her and I think that nothing will help her so don't even bother."

Kusha looked ridiculous with his shades and judgmental frown. "I don't take orders from you Nemesis. I'm going to help Ayano, not to bribe her or anything but because I want to. Even I'm not that evil enough to let Ayano ruin herself."

Honestly, she cannot take this glaring match seriously with those tacky shades but Nemesis sees the rage in his eyes. "What if you make things worse for her? I assume you did the same thing to Ruto. You say that you're not evil but you're the last person she talked to before she danced with the devil. We both saw its strength over her, who knows how long it takes for Ruto to be finished."

He stayed quiet for a moment but then stood up and stepped closer, "I'm not going to let that happen."

"That would mean stopping me." Kusha knew what she meant from the way his hands shook in fists. "You can't protect Ruto from the monster that she became. You can't protect Aishi from the monster she always was. I'm here to clean up the mess you made."

Again he was quiet but later demanded, "Leave."

"Do you forget that I'm not really Ruto?" She has both hands at her cheeks and titled her head, batting her eyes innocently, "Or Gurin?"

"Leave. Now."

Okay, she had enough of this nerd trying to be stoic and threatening.

She grabbed him by the throat, digging her nails into the skin to the point where he's choking. "I'll leave when you tell me where Ruto is." Nemesis tossed him to the ground, making his back knock into the table legs, his shades now dangling from one ear. "Just because I can't kill you, doesn't mean I can't hurt you."

"Why do I get the feeling that you've said this before to some other poor soul," Kusha said, prompting his body to sit up straight but his head leaned its weight to one shoulder.

"First off, they weren't poor. Secondly," Nemesis steps closer to grind the heel of her shoe into Kusha's thigh, "tell me what I want."

Another boring glare from Kusha later, he finally fessed up. "She's still in the lab. I got the lab into lockdown mode which means no way in and no way out."

Nemesis leaned down to him, "For now that is. I'll admit, that is some heavy duty stuff locking down the tunnel entrance from me but I can only wonder how Ruto's fairing over the past, what, three or four days? She's nothing more than a caged animal."

"I didn't want this," Kusha stated.

She doesn't believe him.

"Aw," Nemesis smiled and patted his cheek before leaving the clubroom.

[]

[]

[]

 _"I don't blame you."_

Oka Ruto thrashed about.

 _"This technology of his is more durable than I thought."_

Oka thrashed.

 _"I thought you would be strong enough to overcome this."_

Oka smashed around the debris of machinery, making the dark lit laboratory a graveyard of its creation. The bodies of Midori Gurin were scattered among the mess. They were torn up or squashed but all have the scars of razor sharp nails dragged across their bodies. She had to admit, the flesh and blood were very realistic from its smell and touch (and taste).

 _"How long have we been here? Longer than necessary I believe."_

Oka grabbed another Midori, this time with a steel pipe piercing through the stomach, and brought it up to her face. The corpse was carried by the demon arms, sickly pale with the sharpest nails ever. Having control over multiple arms that sprouted from the inky black void that appears underneath her floating body is a weird experience overall but just look around her.

Currently, Oka floats in the ruins of the Beta Labs after breaking a few supporting beams of the ceiling in the Alpha Labs to crawl into the Beta Labs and continue her reckoning. As always, this place was littered with Midori clones, coated in a red glow from the emergency lights built within the wrecked walls.

Before all of this happened, Midori wasn't really a student that was seen around often or made an effort to be well known or popular. The last countless hours were spent seeing her face, trying to kill Oka with guns, harpoons, and pebbles, it was rather tiresome and annoying. Everything is quiet for the moment; none of the bodies were stirring or mumbling words and curses. But like always, all the Midori clones held that void of souls. That was the one thing that Midori's aura lacked.

A soul.

The copies had personality but ultimately they were Kaga's pets. That's what Oka tells herself as she scans the aftermath of her destruction. All these bodies should have never been created in the first place, it is only right of her to bring consequences for Kaga's actions.

 _"Such a beautiful dance Oka,"_ the voice chilled inside her skull.

She snapped out of her thoughts and blinked. Yes, it appears that the demon arms are holding onto Midori's limps, making them sway and twirl, like a child making their lifeless doll dance with them. Oka looked down at her own stance. She was dancing with the corpse, mimicking the traditional ceremony dance position of a dead Midori.

Immediately Oka dropped the body.

"I need to get out of here," she gasps, her throat dry and scratchy from the screaming and thirst and _laughing and crying and oh god_ she _did this?_

 _"OKA,"_ boomed inside her head, practically making her eyes raddle in its sockets, _"Calm yourself, you are strong enough to get out of this den of miscreation. You know exactly what you must to do."_

Whimpering, Oka stared at the elevator shaft, the only semi-open entrance that the Midori's have come out from. When she descended down the shaft, there were many paths for her to take, like a giant ventilation shaft but she sensed the auras of Kaga, Ayano, and that third girl and found them. On her first escape attempt through the shaft she was greeted to Midori's armed to the teeth with weapons of every era and culture, even a yo-yo and a fidget spinner. (She could have sworn a few weapons were from fiction)

Along with the Midori enforcement some security system went off and so the walls of the shafts were programmed to become smashing plates and spinning saws and fire and electricity and… yeah basically a death trap.

 _"Dear child, there's nothing to be scared of. I promise you won't die like this. Look around you."_ Oka didn't dare look any further than what is in her periphery vision and even that was too much. _"You can do this. Don't you want to save others from the scientist and the murderer?"_

Oka didn't dare move. She didn't breath. (Has she been breathing?)

 _"Otherwise, their death will be your fault."_

An image of more corpses appeared in her mind, this time without green hair. The musty air of drying blood around her really played to the imagery.

Oka rushed to the elevator shaft, still seeing dead bodies around her.

Now Oka has heard plenty of stories of going through the phase 'tunnel vision', solely focusing on one goal and ignoring everything else in the world. The first time Oka experienced anything like that was when she first received this power, back when she was hunting down Kaga.

This time her vision literally became narrowed and the death traps and Midori's hurting her wasn't important to think about or even register the pain. The feeling of getting sliced, burnt, and electrocuted had to be ignored as she harshly crushed any Midori in her path, adding to her trail of corpses and chaos.

For a moment she was lost, simply attacking the path with the most of the Midori's, leading her to another floor level at the end of the path she has taken. Again it was filled with the clones prepared to tame her in a room that looked like an employee lounge. A few of them had lit the sofa cushions on fire, ready to throw.

Oka raised her arms high and shrieked. The hands grabbed at the closest clones and she willed them to punch, scratch, (played rock paper scissors) and elbowed the Midori's. Every action the disembodied limbs did, Oka felt it. Feeling the splats of blood, snapping bones, flesh getting stuck under the nails, and how the Midori clones retaliated with blades, bites, flames, a Chinese finger trap, and successfully breaking some of her fingers.

A few clones were able to get past the storm of arms and into the eye and attack Oka's body. To say that Oka has never been in a fight is a technicality. She doesn't count getting bullied and beaten up on the playgrounds as a fight since she never fought back.

But this?

This was the most powerful Oka Ruto has ever felt as she traded punches with the Midori's around her. She mostly knocked them back into the grasp of the disembodied arms to be teared up but for the Midori that kicked her gut, Oka personally grabbed her by the green hair to bash Midori's nose at with her kneecap.

Eventually the room got quiet, with Oka realizing that she has been kicking the teeth in of a Midori for longer than necessary. She was panting as she moved away from that Midori, exhausted and now looking around to see another room filled with dead girls.

Panic was once again in Oka's head, reminding her that she needs to escape. In the far back of the room was an empty alcove with an exit sign right next to it. Oka willed the demon arms back into the null void that she now stands in since the alcove was built for one person. A single button was on the wall and once pressed, the platform began to rise up in its elevator shaft.

In those minutes of calmness, Oka was blinking madly, trying not to cry.

 _"See, was that too hard?"_

"No," her voice croaked, "It was too easy."

 _"That's because those abominations aren't alive. They put up a good fight but in the end you are superior. Oka Ruto, without a doubt I believe that you are the right person to have my gift. Look at the good you've done."_

"…Yeah, the good I've done."

The platform stopped rising and slits of the wall were pushed outward to become a ladder. Once climbed, Oka pushed up the ceiling and it creak open for her to see grass. After Oka crawls out, the hatch automatically swings back down, blending in with the rest of the grassy field that's behind the school.

She closes her eyes, feeling the afternoon sun warm her skin.

It was an odd sensation to be without something as important as the sun and to return to its embrace only for it to feel wrong. From the hours spent in a chilled, dark enclosure, warmth is not thawing her. Instead it feels like it's a layer of sluggish hot gob that's sticking to her skin like a parasite. She doesn't like it and tries to rub it off her arms but the sunlight is still on her like a heatwave.

She always did prefer the shadows over lightness.

With that in mind, Oka walked across the field, heading for the school gates.

"Hey Oka," someone calls and she turns to see Budo Masuta and Uekiya Engeika at the entrance of the Gardening Club's Grove.

When the two presidents walked up to her, Uekiya said. "I know you said you wanted to be alone today." Oka raised a confused brow at that. "But we wanted to ask why you didn't come to the funeral," she trailed off, took a step closer and held up Oka's hand. "Oka, you're hurt!"

Oka blinked. Well, she has been trapped in a giant room filled with rumple, bleeding bodies, and Midori attacking her. Her hair was a mess and parts of her clothes were tattered and smudged with dirt and she was covered in bruises and grime that may or may not be dried blood.

Shrugging out of Uekiya's grasp, Oka said, "You don't have to worry about me, I'm stronger then I look."

Budo, of course, invaded her personal space, "Oka tell us what happened, please."

Oka glared, remembering he once mentioned that he was working on something with Kaga and he had Ayano join his club, "Don't trust Kaga or Ayano."

"What?" Budo backed off, clearly caught off guard.

"They are dealing with things they don't understand and I'm the only one who can them stop and give them the consequences."

"Oka, what are you talking about?" Budo asked. "I kind of get the whole Kaga thing with his obsession with world domination but Ayano? You're not making any sense."

"That's probably for the best." She laughs, already thinking of the perfect punishment, "I personally would love to see her knocked down and crying. That'll be fun. Just imagine that bitch suffering."

 _SMACK_

Oka carefully brushed her fingers across her cheek, intensifying the sting from the slap.

Uekiya curled up her hand, still raised up. "Oka, you haven't been yourself since Amai passed," she gently draped her arms over Oka's shoulders in an embrace. "This isn't you, we know that. You hate it when you see people cry or bullied."

"Yeah," Budo said, "I think you should go to therapy with us tomorrow."

She pushed Uekiya away and scowled at them, "No there are more important things I need to do. I don't want some emotional jumble with a bunch of students I rarely talk to."

The Occult President stomped off, ignoring them and striving back to the shadows of the school, heading home.

 _"This_ isn't _you?"_ The voice shifted to a sharp crackle of noise that scratched against her skull, _"Ha ha, what fools they are."_

* * *

 _I'M BACK. And I am sorry for the wait. Arc 3: Oka Calls the Shots has begun and I really do want to finish this whole thing as well. So far expect three more chapters as I finish up with this arc and the last interlude._

 _Thanks for reading! Also shout out to Shin for recommending this story on Yandere Sim's TV Tropes page!_

 _Also I'm trying a new thing where I do author's commentary or notes on each of the new chapters on my tumblr blog: katcadecascade_

 _Next Chapter: Best of Bad Therapy_


	13. Best of Bad Therapy

"It was a Tuesday when I met Senpai. I remember that clearly because I spent Monday, the first day of school, all alone. It was utterly boring.

I was alone and bored and when other students approached me… I guess I was too weird or odd for them. If this was middle school, they would've bullied me from the very first conversation but high school is a new kind of hell for all of us. It's a patient and slow burn of hellfire. Already I saw my classmate give me a funny look. So I thought I shouldn't put any effort into making friends; that it's better to be alone."

"But that didn't happen," said her companion.

Ayano nodded and continued her tale. "The next day changed my life completely. At lunch, I decided to get out of the building and I sat at the cherry tree. That's where I met Taro Yamada. He was looking around for Osana's keychain or something and he was a bit frustrated but didn't give up. He was nice, the first genuinely nice person I have ever met. As he was searching he told me about the legend of the cherry blossom tree."

A soft look was on Ayano's face, not quite a smile but there was a somber, vulnerability coming from her as she remembered. "If someone confesses to their love, it is guaranteed that their love is reciprocated. They embrace, share a tender kiss, and they're together and in love." When Taro told her the myth, it felt like he was putting her into a trance. His voice was soft and steady and loving as he talked about the kiss. A passionate kiss that is full of warmth and assurance and love and Ayano's world gained color with the possibility and hope that she would one day have that kiss.

From that day forward, Ayano imagined that kiss, that love, with Taro Yamada. No one else can compare to him or dare touch him and the dream of love and how he looked at her. She believed that one day she will bring him back to the cherry blossom tree to fulfill that dream, to fulfill that destiny, to fulfill that good ending, that happily ever after (that her mother told her).

"That's such an optimistic rumor."

"Well fuck you too Kaga," Ayano shrugs, "You're the one who insisted to talk about Taro."

"No, not Taro, about you," he corrected. "Now please, continue."

Ayano groaned, very long and childishly, to emphasize her annoyance.

To recap _this_ Tuesday, Kaga approached her in the morning to ditch class to have a feels jam. Okay not those exact words.

His reasoning was "I don't want you to become a ticking time bomb of knives and rejection and I'm sure that Info feels the same way. Please just come with me to the Science Clubroom and talk. I'm no Kokona or Info but I think I can help you."

"Drop the blackmail then I'll go with you."

"Deal."

She hopes he's not lying.

As Ayano began her to discuss the root of her problems (cough Senpai and Mom cough) no one disturbed them and she doubts that anyone would barge into the clubroom while class goes on.

"And you fell in love with him just like that?" Kaga questioned, "This is because of your mom's advice."

"No, I fell in love with Senpai because the Sakura blossoms were falling around us, making a romantic atmosphere, and he's the first person I talked to in a very long time without any malice or discomfort from being around me." Ayano picked at the dirt under her nails, playing it off as some nonchalant thing but now that she says it out loud, her explanation is rather pathetic.

Kaga didn't say anything after that but she didn't dare look up at him to see how he was judging her. Then he asked, "Do you remember my first analysis on you?"

She bit back the urge to say something sarcastic and instead recalled, "I forced myself to use my mom's coping mechanism to hope that," she paused, swallowing the saliva building in her mouth, "that Taro would fix me and make me happy, just like how my mom got happy."

This time, she stared right at Kaga and his calm, relaxed position, just lounging lazily on the rolling chair next to her. His 'therapist' look was just an added pair of glasses, making Kaga look a little silly with his usual eye specks still atop of his head. "Your mom and dad were high school sweethearts. You're just trying to follow in her footsteps."

"I think you've drawn enough comparisons between me and my mom to drive the point home."

"But the point I do want you to understand is that you are not your mother!" Kaga extended his arms out, making grand gestures by waving his arms around. "You can't honestly agree with her morals of killing for love."

"What about your morals of world domination?"

"That's different! My plan doesn't involve murder." Ayano crossed her arms and gave him an unimpressed look. "My plan doesn't revolve solely around murder."

"Right," Ayano said, still not liking this guy.

"Okay just shut up about that and look at this." Kaga motions her over to look at the computer as he pulls up medical files, most with her name on it, another with her mom's, and other names she did not recognize. "From what I gathered, your mother deliberately had the doctors diagnose you with any illness that's not your love sickness. I'm guessing it's to prevent you from getting prescriptions that actually might help you at a young age and so you'll just fly under the mentally ill radar or whatever."

Kaga pulled up other files, the ones belonging to strangers, "Here are a number of people that share similar - but not all - conditions that you probably have. I've been looking up medical stuff to see if any of this can help you."

"This stuff is way above my head."

"Yeah same here. I'm a scientist, not a pharmacist, doctor, or therapist." Kaga moved a file to take the full screen. "Alright, this French woman here fantasized a beautiful, perfect life with a doctor she met only once and in a matter of months, she sabotaged his life by attacking his pregnant wife and ruining his career."

Ayano read over the file. Thankfully, Kaga had translated the foreign documents.

When the French lady got caught and arrested, she was sent to a mental institute to treat her erotomania, in other words her lovesickness. All the French lady's evaluations had her describing a wonderful world with her beloved. She didn't regret attacking the wife, she felt like the wife was in the way of her love and that the man she loves was in love with her as much as she was in love with him.

Imprinted on the second page of the file in big red letters was the word 'CONFIDENTIEL'. It read the lady appeared sane from her shock therapy and pills but after she was discharged, the janitor found that she hid all the pills she was supposed to take.

Her pills were glued to the wall behind her closet in a colorful mosaic that forms the man she still loves because hey, she was an art major.

She was long gone by then.

"She didn't kill but she did attack," Ayano said. Kaga then clicked on another file, this one being a police report, linking the woman to an older lady dying of a heart attack that happens to be a patient of doctor she loves. Also her heart was ripped out and found in the doctor's office in a neat package. "Okay never mind. Are there any others that are our age?"

Kaga gulped but clicked on another file. "This American was seventeen and yes, he did kill people. He, ah, killed his girlfriend's bullies and set them up as a suicide. I'm guessing his logic was that the bullies can't make his girlfriend cry anymore. He didn't have a love sickness from the start but his mind state certainly stemmed into that obsession and extreme dependency on his girlfriend. In the reports, he was described as one of the loner kids that hated their toxic society and it didn't help that he had a bad father whom driven the mom to the point of suicide. And then he decided to plant a bomb in his school."

"He died in the explosion?" It didn't make much sense to her as she read that the boyfriend was the only one to die and that the explosion took place in an empty football field rather than the packed gym.

"The girlfriend changed his mind at the last minute and he ran out of the building to get the school out of the blast radius."

"Huh," Ayano leaned back in her seat. "I could have easily ended up like them." She turned to Kaga, "But I didn't because my mom tried to shape me into exactly like her… and like her mom too." At that line, Kaga looked to her with pure curiosity and determination to learn more. They remained quiet for a moment, the clubroom's clock ticking loud. Then she got the courage to demand, "Pull up her file."

Kaga follows the command.

[]

[]

[]

Today sucks a little more than usual.

Okay, here, let Osana explain.

It all started when the Drama Club President ran into the arms of her best friend.

Apparently Taro helped Kizana Sunobu carry props to her clubroom before classes started and she's giving him thanks by treating him for lunch. Right now, Kizana has invited herself to Osana's circle of friends on the rooftop and she's just giving all her attention to Taro as she and the other three girls observe.

This whole thing is so out of the blue and rushed and just what is happening?

She looks to Kokona for an answer as Kizana busies herself with hand feeding Taro his lunch. Osana silently agrees with Ayano on making gagging faces whenever Kizana and Taro isn't looking, which is often.

Kokona's whispered explanation is, "I heard that she's been binge watching plays and musicals in an effort to feel better about death. One way to go through grief is not being alone so I guess she latched onto Taro."

That didn't clear up her confusion and even Kokona was unsure in her answer.

"No offense Kizana," Saki gained all of their attention, making the girl in question stop hand spooning Taro some rice. God, she was practically draped over him, hugging his arm to be attached to his hip. "But I think you're being a little too touchy with Taro."

She scoffs, "Are you jealous, dear?"

Saki blinked. Saki then threw her arm around Kokona's shoulders and gave her a huge kiss on the cheek, very close to her lips. The couple stared back at Kizana. "Hell no."

The theater girl just hummed thoughtlessly, unfazed and unimpressed.

Osana tried not to glare too much and said, "But still, Taro, are you okay with this?"

He clenched his hands and she saw him do the tiniest of sighs as he shrugged Kizana off him. "I was uncomfortable at first but um, I just thought you're just like this, like really bold and stuff to everyone."

Well now, Kizana had the decency to look ashamed and leaned away, still holding his arm though, "Oh um sorry, I wanted to comfort you and I always believe that physical intimacy works best."

"And you chose Taro after days of being alone and avoiding people?" Saki questioned.

"You don't look huggable," Ayano insulted.

"I do find it strange that you picked Taro to comfort," Osana said.

"Yeah," Kokona said, frowning at her lookalike, "especially since I haven't seen you talk to any of the Cooking Club."

"Well, Uekiya had that handled so I left that responsibility with her."

"Excuse me?"

Kizana shrugged. "I'm not as caring as Uekiya so I figured that she'll take the leading role."

"Leading role? You're just shoving responsibility onto her."

"She's the one who wants to be mama bear so let her," Kizana said nonchalantly, "Besides the Cooking Club doesn't really need me so I'm just doing my own thing."

"We got visits from every Club Leader except you," Kokona said with growing aggression and her clenched fist was instantly held by Saki, nervously staring at her girlfriend.

"Okay so there's been, ah, a communication problem here," Osana interrupts and before she could attempt to settle the air, someone says something surprising.

"She's not coping well," Ayano said. "Uekiya and Budo are stressing out on how to help everyone."

Taro nods, "They're trying to be everyone's rock but for how long they can last is the question."

"And you're doing absolutely nothing to help," Ayano said.

That made Kizana flinch away from the dark haired girl and by extension Taro since Osana let Ayano sit between her and Taro.

"Stop that," Osana told Ayano but she's been apathetic and a little bit dissociated all day. Scolding didn't faze her but it did get Ayano to push her attention off of Kizana. She went back to picking at the lunch Osana prepared for her. "Kizana, why are you here? It can't simply be to thank Taro for picking up your stuff."

Kizana remained quiet and her hand stopped inching its way back to Taro's.

…oh man really?

Kizana points her nose in the air in a sign of intolerance, "I see that my presence is not wanted here. I only wanted to have a lovely chat with you all." Ayano and Saki snort in perfect union which briefly broke her theatric manner. "Being bitchy is not a good look on you two and I simply cannot stand this any moment longer."

"Then leave," Kokona said very loudly.

She huffed and stood up from their sitting circle, "Honestly Taro, why do you force yourself with these girls?"

She offered her hand to Taro, implying to leave with him.

"Kizana, I think you should go too," Taro said and they all saw Kizana's mask falter, having a hurt and scared look, for a second before she stomped away. Maybe their rudeness wasn't the best course of direction but it's all said and done now.

Osana breaks the draining tension by saying, "Damn Taro, maybe you're too… you for your own well-being."

"Wait what?"

"Eh, not really," Saki waves her hand flat as the typical sign of 'not quite so'. "No offensive Taro but I just can't find the appeal in you."

"Saki you're gay," said Kokona.

"It still means that I don't find him appealing." At Taro's frown she quickly assures, "Romantically and sexually appealing, but platonic wise, we good!"

"Cool," Taro grinned.

"Also that statement doesn't do me justice," Saki thinks aloud and then she suddenly stands and runs over to the railing that overlooks the view of the fountain courtyard and she screams, "I'M LESBIAN!"

Her friends join the applause that commenced as Saki spread open her arms. Saki does a few rounds of bowing and thanking the clapping students below before she rejoins the group. "Alright, do you guys want a turn too?"

Kokona does a shrug but doesn't get up and hollers out, "Bisexuals are valid!" Again people clapped.

Ayano rubs her chin and says loudly but doesn't meet their eyes, "No one's mentally stable." Her head snaps back up when she hears some people down there cheer in agreement and holler. "Huh." Being at her sides, Taro and Osana notice that Ayano's clenched fists uncurled and her surprised expression is downcast to her lap.

Osana catches Taro's eyes and they both knew that neither of them really knows what they would shout out. In the entirety of their friendship, they held no talk of sexuality or mental issues; it just never really came up.

"You don't have to yell something personal," Saki assured.

"I got nothing," Osana admitted. Well, aside from her impatience and insecurities, there isn't any other problem she's willing to scream from a rooftop. "Well I could always yell about my undying love for cats."

[]

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[]

So this job became harder than Nurse Muja Kina first anticipated.

There was an incident months ago that led to the original nurse of the school to go have an early and extended… vacation. It was partly her fault due to her clumsiness and then she got an anxiety panic attack believing that she'll be fired and no school will hire her and it didn't help that she was surrounded by a lot of students at the time.

But things turned out good in the end.

One student helped her recover from her panic attack and another student took the blame for the incident when the main nurse regained consciousness. The students that witnessed the incident gave her sympathy (and pity) and convinced the school board to give her the position of being their substitute nurse.

Nurse Muja was so thankful to the students. Apparently the main reason why they wanted her back is because most of the adults in the school, the nurse she's replacing included, did not believe in the students that suffer from anxiety attacks or depression or dissociation or any other mental struggles.

Hearing this made Muja want to scream.

Akademi High School is a prestigious school known to have a caring staff and attentive teachers, all ready to prepare their students for the world.

The students tell her a different truth. Things at the school haven't been the same since a death about thirty years ago and that changed the school and remaining staff. Somewhere along the years, the teachers gradually became less tolerant to students that didn't fulfill the image of a perfect student.

This means that the students with mental problems were more or less ignored by their teachers and expected to be a lost cause.

As a woman who went through many anxiety attacks, some of which were caused by people who choose to not help her or believe that she had a mental issue, Muja was mad as hell.

On her first official day of being the school substitute nurse, Nurse Muja Kina swore to be understanding and helpful to these kids because many kids were going to her for their mental health. She was more than happy to help them.

They trusted her because she understood the panic attacks and taught them healthy ways to deal with them. She gave them advice to boost self-confidence, fidget toys to the autistic and ADHD kids, and she researched for the best therapies that will help the kids that wanted advice about transgender therapy.

She wants these kids to be happy.

So she proposed the after school grief therapy to the school board when Amai Odayaka died.

It pissed Muja off when in the first thing discussed in that staff meeting was how to make the school look better after the death of _another_ student. Muja had to persuade the meeting that having the students go through grief therapy will boost the image of the school to be thoughtful and caring. Eventually the principle agreed with the shrugged warning (read: threat) that if things don't go smoothly, Muja will take responsibility alone since she's just a temp.

She'll fight tooth and nail if she gets fired. These kids trust her and she trusts them. She promised to make these kids feel better.

The therapy session yesterday had a bit of a rocky start with no one other than the two Club Presidents opening up on their feelings. Uekiya Engeika and Budo Masuta were the most supportive of the therapy sessions and so the first meeting ended well. Of the twenty students that attended, most of them were simply shocked that someone their age could die in their town. A few of the students that knew how to drive expressed their nervousness about driving and potentially killing someone. All in all, Muja believes that things are going well.

For the second meeting, there were only twelve students since club activities resumed. At least half of the Cooking Club was present along with a few students were from other clubs or club-less.

To name a few, there was Midori Gurin, Saki Miyu, Pippi Osu and Ryuto Ippongo from the Gaming Club, Shin Higaku from the Occult Club.

Like yesterday, the attending Cooking Club members split up so that half of them when to therapy and the other half were doing their club activities to keep up their status as a still active club for the school board. Saki said that Kokona Haruka was in charge for today. That made Muja smile.

Since Muja was pretty new to this group therapy thing by doing some quick search engine stuff and calling in advice from old colleges she had a basic system of encouraging the students to talk.

The Cooking Club was still the most emotional of the group with Saki consoling them too. Pippi and Ryuto both mentioned that they their president Gema Taku was being more introverted than usual. Muja didn't understand that at first but she recalled seeing the boy walking into a wall whilst playing his video console.

"I've kind of noticed that I'm doing the opposite of Gema," Pippi said. She was sitting next to her fellow gamer and the most important thing here is that they are holding hands. "I haven't been playing games as much as before or anytime I am playing, I zone out and start thinking about death and stuff."

"Yeah, a lot of the story games we play can have death as a major theme," Ryuto said. "It's just weird to stop thinking about death as a fictional plot thing." He shrugged, "Death is pretty scary."

"Well, in your games, death is used as a plot device to motivate the player to honor the fallen," Muja explained as best she could. "I think if you find the right game with the right message, death won't be a scary thing since it's natural."

Shin rose up his hand, "Can I add something?" The two students in question and the nurse nodded. "In the Occult Club, death isn't a black title screen or a definite end of everything. Some people do use religion or simply the belief that there is more after death to stop their fear and insecurities. It's all about hope because hope is endless."

Ryuto had his jaw drop, "Damn dude, that's a great quote."

"Please no cursing," Muja chided.

"Sorry Nurse Muja."

"That's a nice way to think about it," Pippi smiled at the Occult Club member. "Thank you. A lot of games do have the theme of hope in it, no matter how bad things get."

They continued on with their session until near the end she realized one person hasn't said anything.

"Midori, do you want to say something too?"

She blinked and looked right at Shin. "I was wondering, how's Oka doing since I don't think I'm the only one who's noticed something is up with her."

All eyes were on Shin now but Muja kept looking back to Midori. It was odd of her to just come to a session and not talk about her own grief.

"She has been distant and I just thought she would need it since she was close to Amai." Shin said. "And, yeah, she has been missing our meetings and yesterday she was avoiding everyone."

"I talked with Uekiya this morning," a Cooking Club member said, "and she mentioned that she was trying to get Oka to come in for sessions but Oka refused."

"Was that her exact words?" Midori asked. Muja quirked her eyebrows, noticing now direct the student was being.

"No? She just summed it up like that."

Again Shin got everyone's attention, "I haven't seen Oka all day too. The rest of the club is getting worried and their looking to me for help but I'm not a president," Shin clenched his hands nervously. "I'm just the second in charge."

"With the Cooking Club, we don't have a new leader. None of us really want to fill up Amai's place like some replacement."

Muja bit her lip. She really wanted to address Midori but the topic has already changed and these students need guidance. "You're not replacing her, you're still doing what she and you all love and that is all that matters. Leadership is a difficult thing but your system of who's in charge for the day is a great idea to figure out what to do next."

A couple minutes later the therapy session ended.

Midori Gurin left before Muja could question what her purpose of asking about Oka Ruto was.

[]

[]

[]

Today has been… productive to say the least but the time has come.

They have to be punished.

Oka Ruto is convinced of that.

Kaga Kusha and Midori Gurin needs to be punished. And so far, all Oka has done is get rid of kill the Midori clones but that won't personally stop Kaga.

If she recalls it correctly, he had some nefarious plan about combing science and the supernatural together and that he's determined to see through no matter what.

He told her cannot stop him.

It's time to prove him wrong.

 _"May I suggest killing him?"_

"Don't. I want to punish him. That means keeping him alive as I make him suffer slowly."

 _"Well said. You must have a brilliant idea in mind. Use his weakness against him."_

"…His weakness?"

 _"Yes, his weakness. He made an endless supply of companions but what are fakes to the real thing?"_

"I see." Oka pondered, considering its suggestion. "He couldn't have possibly done it all by himself. It would take a team to build an army and if they're apart of this crime then…"

 _"I trust you know what to do, Oka."_

She does.

And just as she predicted, the Science Clubroom was full. Her ghastly arms choked the students closest to her. The school may be empty around now but it doesn't hurt to make this place noiseless.

The sound of screams and screeches of metal still haunts her from her time trapped in Kaga's den.

Naturally, to prevent more daunting sounds Oka squeezed the air out of nearly all of the Science Club.

Oka stares at the unharmed Science Club President in front of her.

His eyes were watering up, something she didn't know he was capable of doing. Kaga's frame was shaking and his mouth a gap as Oka had his club members in her clutches, their bodies held up by the disembodied arms circling her.

Kaga jumped when she released her hold and let the bodies hit the floor.

"What the fuck have you done?!" His eyes were wide and he pulled at his white hair as he backed away from her.

"They helped you with your Midori project which means they are just as guilty as you." Oka recalled, "I always found it strange that she was close to the Science Club or how they try to sneak her into that secret lab of yours." Kaga flinched. "I think it's rather stupid that you made entrances scattered around the school."

"You killed them," he hissed. "Don't you realize what you've done?"

"Speak for yourself, Kaga." Oka floated over to him and used her height for intimidation, "You little cretin."

He took a bold step up and questioned, "Is this you speaking or your little friend?"

" _This_ is _me,"_ Oka said, glaring at him as she felt the demonic arms lash out at nothing and there was a radiation of coldness. She felt so cold and numb and angry.

 _"This is me. This is me. This is me. This is me. This is me."_

The boy lost his courage and staggered away from her.

Her words circle around her, constricting her throat as she repeats those three words. She barely registered her body floating closer to Kaga and his paling face. A demonic hand rose to draw a faint line with a broken fingernail, its sharp edge drawing blood.

 _"This is me."_

 _"This_ is _me."_

"You're not Oka," Kaga scowled, his face twitching away from her fingernail.

" _This is me!"_

 _"Ha, you're a clever one."_

"If you remained this way I'm sure that everyone can see your lies."

 _"This is me!"_

 _"True but I must have my fun."_

That same finger scooped up the drop of blood on Kaga's face and she licked it.

"Okay that's really gross," Kaga said squeamishly. "You're not even a vampire."

 _"Scared of a little bit of blood? Or are you afraid of your own blood?"_

 _"Punish… He must be punished!"_

 _"I agree with you there."_

"What?"

 _"Not you boy, can't you see we're having a conversation?"_

 _"He must be punished!"_

Oka snapped the demonic hands to claw into Kaga's shoulders and brings him closer so she can scream into his face.

 _"PUNISHMENT!"_

Another pair of hands pinned his arms to his body and they both floated up. With her real hands, they gently cupped his face when she stopped screaming.

 _"DAMNATION."_

Oka brushed her lips over Kaga's eyelids.

His body slackened, releasing tension and he stopped his attempt at squirming out of her grip.

"What… What are you doing?"

His eyes were still closed and yet his breath quickened.

 _"Torture."_

She said that word in the soft tone Kaga has known her for… a comforting quietness that he yearned for.

 _"Genius idea my girl."_

Her lips glided over to the cut on his cheek, kissing it as her fingers traced his jawline and chin. Her lips barely reached his, brushing at the corner of his slightly parted lips. The hands holding up Kaga increased the pressure, making Kaga kick out in pain. More hands grab his legs and ankles as he thrashed about.

"Oka, this isn't you! Please, you can't possibly believe everything that thing is telling you!" Kaga begged, "Please come back to me!"

Oka slapped him.

She laughed at him.

 _"Why would I ever come back to_ you _?"_

And then she dropped him unceremoniously next to the dead bodies of his club members.

She laughed again when he yelped and this time tears were finally flowing.

 _"This is so much fun Kaga! See you squirm and scared. You're the one who told me that fear motivates you so do you feel motivated now?"_ Oka smiles cruelly at him, _"I can't wait to do Ayano's punishment."_

Too shaken up, he shuttered out, "You're planning something for Ayano?"

"Things have already begun."

She left him there, shaking uncontrollably, surrounded by death.

* * *

 _I was in a musical hype when I wrote this chapter. Also I thought it'll be cool to compare different versions of yandere's from other medias like an American movie turned musical and a French film I saw._

 _Thanks for reading!_

 _Next Chapter: Allies and Nemesis_


	14. Allies and Nemeses

_BREAKING NEWS ALERT_

 _"A tragedy has occurred at the Akademi High School. This Wednesday morning, six students of the Science Club were found dead on campus. News of this spread from students' tweets and other social media posts which were later confirmed by the police force deployed right outside the school and a forensic team caught by our cameras were piling up body bags in their vehicles. "_

 _"The police have not reported the cause of death and have yet to release to the public any news on if this was an accident or a murder."_

 _"This is not the first death of a student from this school, is there a pattern or is it simply bad luck? So far there is a small rally of news casters and reporters at the gates of Akademi High School, all trying to get more information from either the staff or students but a police force has been tasked to keep the interviewers at bay for safety and respect for the children."_

 _"Just what in the world is happening? Our children are dying!"_

 _"Akademi High School has a history of having a death toll of students ever since about thirty years ago."_

 _"Honestly, how is this school still running?"_

…Well, this is quite a mess.

There will be no way to recover from this and from what she predicts; the school will only care about their shaky reputation.

Rinse and repeat, a student dies and the school will only do what they think is best for their selves. Hell, the students should've been cleared out of the school if a dead body is found but no, the show must go on. Fucking adults…

Nurse Muja's therapy plan did help the students and she really has seen some recoveries for them but now that this happened who knows what might blow up next.

Info just has to prepare for the worst.

And she doesn't know how Kaga's dealing with this. Her first guess was that Oka killed them but last she heard Oka was out for Kaga's ass. It makes sense if Oka's doing this just to mess with him but that would make things more than just fucked up. And to be honest, things are already fucked up. She doesn't know how to handle maximize fucked up capacity.

She knew the Science Club. She liked them despite their allegiance to Kaga. They were passionate to their trade and followed Kaga's instructions because they were overjoyed to do some cool top secret shit. A few were just as greedy as her and others were just as devoted to science just like Kaga.

Back in the beginning of the school year she thought about joining the Science Club. She thought of this before she even began her Info-chan business. Science wasn't exactly her expertise but she knows that she'll learn to love it just as much as she's loves working with computers.

The club was alright to say the least, just without the incriminating project they were involved with. If things were normal in this school, maybe Info would've been around people who didn't have a killing intent or a god complex or a screwed morality.

Maybe if that happened, she would have friends that call her by her real name.

…Stop that, those thoughts lead to nowhere.

From what she gathered, another impromptu memorial is being held in the fountain courtyard since no one is allowed inside the Science Clubroom. She has to wonder if the police are smart enough to find the secret elevator but she doubts it, they're too stupid. Plus there's the forethought that it's actually Nemesis investigating the clubroom.

It's too risky to check either way and there was a police detail guarding the doors. They ushered away any curious students and by the second hour of school day, each member of the Photography Club had been sent to counselor office for their persistence.

Info's oddly proud of them.

As she's walking to her next class she feels someone brush up to her shoulder, keeping up with her pace in the crowded hall (despite the fact that students have either died or stopped attending this school). Info doesn't give the person a second look as she decides between two guesses on which it is. Since she doesn't see white or green hair in her periphery vision she knows exactly who it is.

"You owe me some files," Nemesis said. She's playing with her light blue hair (wig, hopefully), acting as if she's talking to dear friend that totally has not backstabbed her.

"Things have been messy lately," Info excused, ignoring her disappointment that it wasn't Ayano that found her. Honestly, she thought that Ayano would single her out by now and she still doesn't know how to explain herself to Ayano. Maybe it's best that she doesn't have the greatest perspective or maybe she just gave up on being friends with Info.

"Oh I know." Nemesis grumbles, "More dead assets."

This time Info does look at her, glaring, "They were more than their craft."

Nemesis glares back, "Hmm you've read why I'm really here. You know what my priorities are."

Info snaps, "Your priorities or your orders?"

She gets ignored and the disguised agent continued, "Things are not going good for the both of us. Now if you just give me the files, I'll make your life a bit easier." Rolling her eyes, Info agrees verbally but Nemesis quickly adds in, "Now I just have to go chat to Aishi."

That stops Info right when they were about to walk into the classroom. "What."

The agent walks past her, shoving her way through the entrance which snaps Info's attention back as she scurries behind Nemesis all the way to their assigned seats in the back of the classroom.

Nemesis calmly and orderly gets her books and papers out and speaks lowly. "I acquire her assistance to… handle the current problem. You promised me files and it seemed unfair that she has done absolutely nothing to help me and yet this mess is partially her fault."

Info bites her tongue to not curse. The Nemesis organization must have connected the dots and know that Ayano is the one who brought Oka's attention to Midori in the first place. Even if it was something as minor as that, Info has no idea what how drastic Nemesis' measures will be against a known mentally unstable killer like Ayano.

"Don't get her involved," Info demanded in a low tone as the teacher wrote on the board.

Looking straight into her eyes, Nemesis whispers, "You're not in charge of her right now. She can make her own decisions."

Again she bites her tongue, sensing doom.

And there's that feeling again, that guilt and adrenaline consuming her mind as she plans something stupid to save Ayano Aishi.

[]

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[]

This is fucking unsettling.

Just how many times are they going to have a Club President Meeting just to talk about dead students?

Budo Matsuda feels ill from how much life fucking sucks right now.

There's a gloom in the air, most of the students he sees look scared and he already heard of a few who ditched school halfway. That didn't really work out since the police immediately caught them, saying how the reporters outside were ready to eat them alive.

In summary of another surprise lunch meeting arranged by Megami, she had Kaga recount the events of the murders. Which, Budo must add, is so damn wrong because Kaga discovered the bodies just this day and screamed, gaining everyone's attention and later the police. In the last meeting, Kaga looked somber over Amai's death but took responsibility to be a calm mind.

But now?

Oh god he looked so overwhelmed with sadness and shock and right before the meeting Budo saw him in the boy's bathroom splashing water onto his tear stained face and watery eyes. Kaga didn't even bother to fix his distressed hair and unkempt clothes. He told Megami his account on finding his dead friends, all the while his voice cracked and tears swelled up. When Uekiya tried to comfort him, laying a hand on his shoulder, he reacted violently, slapping her hand away and springing out of his seat to put distance between him and Uekiya.

The look on his face was utter terror and fear and more tears.

He apologized shakily and just left.

Budo didn't waste any time to follow him or listen to Megami calling out to Kaga.

For being emotionally drained, Kaga Kusha did not seem to suffer any physical exhaustion because that boy was sprinting down the halls. Budo ran after him and only caught up to him because Kaga suddenly stopped himself from turning a corner.

Budo slowed his pace to walk calmly to Kaga's side. Kaga had a hand gripping the hallway's corner edge and stared at the floor. Craning his head around the corner, Budo saw the guarded entrance to the Science Clubroom.

Oh…

Kaga still didn't acknowledge him when Budo looked back to him.

"Hey buddy," Budo said, "Can I take you outside?"

Kaga didn't say anything but he did let his hand fall to his side. He started walking to the nearest exit. Budo let Kaga lead them to behind the school, far away from the school's memorial service. They sat down behind the hedge fence of Amai's grove and Kaga just hugged his knees and buried his face in his arms.

He was quiet for a few minutes, catching his breath, and then began sniffling. Instinctively, Budo scooted closer and simply let their arms touch, he wasn't too sure if Kaga would want any more physical sensory other than that but he was in for a surprise when Kaga suddenly flung his arms around Budo and wailed into his chest.

"All my friends are dead," was barely coherent to Budo and he had to push a rap song of the same words out of his head and focus on the crying kid in his arms.

"I'm still here for you," Budo said, "And the rest of the Presidents too."

It down right chilled his spine when he heard Kaga chuckled emotionlessly, "Yeah right. You all just think of me as crazy."

"Eh," Budo shrugged, "It's more like we're imitated of you."

Meekly he asked, "Even Megami?"

"Even Megami," Budo confirmed, nodding.

Whether this made Kaga happy or sad, he didn't express any opinion and remained unresponsive to Budo rubbing his back. All he could do was try to comfort Kaga as he dealt with dry heaving cries but thankfully the scientist calmed down.

"They were a bloody fucking mess," Kaga whispered. "I froze up and couldn't do anything to help them."

Budo shifted Kaga so that the crying boy was pressed up against his right side, Budo still enwrapped by Kaga's arms, but he now had a better look at Kaga's face. There was snot at his upper lip and his cheeks shined with tears and Kaga attempted to clean his face with this coat sleeves. Gross.

Also what Kaga said didn't make sense. Unless well…

"You got to be kidding me," Budo grumped. Before Kaga could voice his confusion, Budo said, "You lied to the police about finding their bodies this morning."

Oddly enough, this brought a smile to Kaga's face, "Budo, you are smarter than you look."

Budo swallowed a lump of saliva, "Only because Oka warned me about you."

That brought absolute dread to Kaga and Budo reacted a second before Kaga's brain. He quickly pinned Kaga's arms down and scooted to be seated on top of Kaga's legs. They both know that Kaga doesn't have the strength to overpower him.

"Listen," Budo quickly said, "I don't know what's going on between you two but I'm guessing it's the reason why the others died."

"So you're taking her side?" Kaga hissed, struggling and wiggling but that wasn't enough to get out of Budo's grasp.

"No, I just want an explanation."

"Trust me Budo. You do not want to get involved."

Budo glared at his friend, "I got involved the moment Amai died."

Kaga tensed and let his head sulk and drop onto Budo's chest. "I'm sorry. I won't tell you what you want to know." He took a deep breath, "Just know that I'm trying my best to fix this."

His heart sank at how small and tired Kaga sounded. Budo loosened his grip and moved to kneel in front of him. "I trust you on that but Oka implied that you're in some sort of danger. People are dying and I don't want to lose another friend."

"Sorry," Kaga repeated and closed his eyes, "I can't promise you any more deaths."

"Bullshit!" Budo clasped his hands on Kaga's shoulders, "If whatever you're doing includes killing people then I'll have to stop you."

Still sullen, Kaga stared up at him with dull, sad eyes, "It's not me you have to stop."

His body did a full involuntary twitch, backing away from Kaga.

"Tell me," Kaga asked, "Was Oka acting strange when she warned you?" His silence and horrified expression was Kaga's answer. The dark and unnerving smile of Oka shocked Budo and Uekiya when she started giggling. They couldn't believe Oka would ever say something sinister and full of malice. "Do you want to be involved now because if you do then I will have no quam over doing everything within my power to get you out of the way whether you like it or not."

This was getting very serious.

So naturally, Budo said, "So you do admit to caring about me."

Kaga blinked. "Oh my god," he scoffed and smiled, "You did not just do that to me."

With a deep breath, Budo tried to relax himself, siting back by Kaga as he processed what got revealed. "Ok so basically, something got fucked up to the point of murder."

Nodding, Kaga said, "Yes that's a decent way to sum this up."

"And what have you've done so far to fix this?"

"Getting you and other innocent bystanders not involved is working out somewhat good."

"So the entire Science Club was guilty."

Continuing on, Kaga listed second, "Being a personal therapist is harder than I thought but hopefully my patient will heed my warnings and follow through with my advice. There are some other people I need to check up on before they do anything dangerous. And then there's the whole Oka situation."

Budo played with the grass, forcing him to speak. "Did she really do it?"

"She's not in the right state of mind. Until I figure something out, all I got are words."

He scanned Kaga's face. There was devastation or despair in his frown and he looked absolutely miserably and frustrated. "Oka used your crush against you."

Kaga began to hiccup silently, more tears spilling. "She… Oka… I _loathe_ her for what she did… for what she said but…"

Budo repeated, "Not in the right state of mind. I don't have a clue on what that means but you're both my friends. And I trust you. If you don't want me directly involved, fine I'll keep my distance for the time being and get Uekiya and the others out of harm's way. But you got to promise me," Budo offered up his pinky finger, "You'll get the police or, well knowing you, some secret service thing to help out when things go out of hand and get our Oka-cola back."

The scientist stared at him, "Why do you trust me, Budo?"

"You're a lot of things Kaga - a piece of shit for one – but you would never let anyone get hurt on purpose." Budo knows this from all the times Kaga proved himself as a leader, especially whenever (too often) the school board members steal fundraiser money or enforce insufficient and shitty grading systems or fire the good teachers here and Kaga would fight back by outsmarting or (let's be honest) blackmailing them. "Overall, Kaga, I trust you to save a friend."

Again he's crying and sniffling and Budo's ready for another glop of a hug. Kaga's threw his arms around Budo, "Thank you."

He went back to rubbing Kaga's back, thinking of what the living fuck is going on. Budo's curious but he doesn't have a death wish. Knowing Kaga Kusha and Oka Ruto as long as he has means that it has to be something so smart it's stupid, that's the only logical explanation Budo will take without his brain exploding.

If Kaga's telling him to nope out, then he'll nope out.

[]

[]

[]

The easiest part of this mission would have to be the disguises. No one, not even the teachers, bats an eye as she walks down the halls. Then again, this is a supposedly elite high school that has a seemingly indifferent staff that acts like every day is the same pile of shit, rinse and repeat for each year. Those who put any sort of pride or time on this school must be incompetent to believe that Akademi High School was ever grand in the first place. Now it's falling at the seams, in complete denial but has enough money to savor its life.

She did observe that there are a few key adults favorited by the students. That substitute nurse for one fits the classic, sympathizing adult for the needier students. She visited the therapy sessions a few times and she wants to gag or break down.

It was always a struggle for her to see youngling grieve.

This is very hypocritical of her to think because she plans to kill a girl.

Depending on how well Nemesis covers up the murder, more students will grieve and either way, Kusha will become more of a nuisance. He doesn't know how to quit and that's the reason why this mess began.

God these kid geniuses are intolerable. Info-chan is much easier to control but the same could be said for Kusha if only a certain unstable killer didn't escalate things.

Aishi will have her dues paid, Nemesis ensures.

And so she follows Aishi for the rest of the day, waiting for the moment she's alone but that isn't the case up till the final bell. (Good because she cannot take any more of Aishi's pitiful love life. The staring, the broken hearted frowns when she thinks no one is looking, Nemesis just hates this bull crap.)

By now, she's aware that Kaga has approached Aishi and educated her on her illness which doesn't bode too well for Nemesis. From her own observations, once a love-sicken person realizes how futile their actions are, they become even more berserk. At best they simply kill their selves (in front of their targeted crush usually), at worse they kill other people (like said targeted crush).

It's best to tread carefully.

Nemesis hides just around the hallway's corner when she hears Aishi speak with her club president. Apparently he canceled another meeting in favor of sympathizing Kusha, just want she needed to find, another one of Kusha's pawns. Aishi comments uninterestedly but askes to train only in their clubroom, perfect for Nemesis.

Once Matsuda left the hallway, Nemesis glided her way into the Martial Arts Clubroom. Her very appearance provokes Aishi into attempting to punch her.

Aishi's fist landed on the door and Nemesis side stepped away.

"That's very rude of you."

Still doused with rage, Aishi shook her fists, glaring at her, "I am still so fucking mad at you. Do you really think I wanted to turn to Kaga for answers? I don't want him to poke into my family history but here I am letting him because as of right now, I trust him a little bit more than I trust you!"

Lips pressed together, Nemesis debated on where to direct this conversation. "You're treating this as a one night stand and getting left alone the next day."

"Well that's what you basically did! Minus the sex!"

"Oh," Nemesis purred, "Did you want sex?" Before Aishi could yell at her more, Nemesis cleared up the misunderstanding with raised hand, signaling her to wait and changed the pitch of her voice, "I'm kidding, Aishi. It's me."

It took her a few seconds for things to click, and then Aishi yelled, "Fucking bitch! Really, you're not Info!"

"Sorry to misguide you," Nemesis said unapologetically, adjusting her bulky glasses, "but this was a very insightful way to get you talking. I had no idea that you two broke up, otherwise I wouldn't have chosen this disguise."

"Ugh," Aishi rolled her eyes and slumps her shoulders. "Would you please cut the bullshit and beg for my help."

Nemesis blinked, "Excuse me?"

Shrugging, Aishi waved her hands to express more of her nonchalant confusion, "Look that's what Kaga did."

She recalled the only time Aishi left her field of vision; it was right when lunch ended and Aishi got lost in the crowd of students and then became late for her next class. Tracking Aishi down would've been a little bit easier if she carried her phone but at the very least Nemesis caught Aishi leaving the rooftop.

"If you think I would beg, you must be crazier than you think." Aishi snarled at her. "That's quite a sensitive topic, huh? Let's just cut to it."

"This is about Oka and you want to know whose side I'm on."

"Precisely."

Crossing her arms, Aishi stared at her tapping foot, "Kaga already told me what he wants, what about you?"

Nemesis walked over to her side, placing an arm over Aishi's shoulders, "Overall, I want to save the world and you should too because your friends will die otherwise."

"Geez, this is a compelling argument."

She moved to be directly behind Aishi, both hands holding Aishi's shoulders in a tight grip and she whispered into Aishi's ear, "Imagine that anxiety and panic you feel whenever you think about your friends out right telling you they don't want you in their lives. Them just leaving you all alone in that cold house of yours to never be seen again," Nemesis described, remembering the databanks of the Aishi parents taking a long trip to America. "You can prevent that of course." Nemesis spun Aishi around to face her and Nemesis smiled sweetly at her, "You have a choice to make, Ayano, and I don't want you to be lonely anymore."

And there's the reaction she was aiming for: wide black eyes staring right at her, shoulders loose, her jaw doing the tiniest of drops. "I can't begin to imagine your isolation, Ayano. But I do know that you don't deserve it, everything you've done so far isn't your fault, you're just doing what you think is survival."

Aishi furrowed her eyebrows, "Survival?"

"Yes," Nemesis said, controlling this narrative, "Don't you get it? You've been suffering all this time but now, you can end it and make sure that no one else takes your friends away from you. We have to kill Oka Ruto."

Huffing, Aishi glanced away, "Kaga asked for the opposite."

"Only because he's selfish and doesn't know what's best for all of us. She can't be saved."

Aishi brushed Nemesis' arms away, her eyes narrowing, "I thought the same thing about myself."

"Because of Kaga?" Nemesis quickly countered, "That guy lies to get what he wants and right now, he wants to pacify you."

"He wants me to have a baby toy?"

She barely strained her screams of frustration. "No, he wants you to not act and just let Oka have her way." The girl takes a step away from Nemesis, clearly hesitating all because Kaga presented his plea earlier but Nemesis has a trump card. "If Oka lives another day, more people will die, including your friends and yourself. Do you wish to let the rest of your life depend on the time bomb that Oka is or do you want the time you deserve to have to see your parents again?"

Her jaw locks up and tenses and Aishi makes no effort to hide how hard she's digging her nails into her palms. She's been staring at Nemesis throughout the final bout of the speech but she turns her back on Nemesis. It's probably because she now realizes that Nemesis gradually changed her cadence to match Info.

"Fine," Aishi decides, like she has free will, "Let's go kill Oka."

It doesn't take too long to prepare for tonight. Aishi doesn't mind the fact that she's been recruited for a fight mere hours away. Info does though but only for Aishi's sake because from the looks of it, Info is Aishi's impulse control. It's a good thing that Aishi has no idea that it's her Info-chan on the other end of Nemesis' coms.

Damn, somehow this _isn't_ the weirdest lovers' quarrel that she got roped into intentionally.

Prepping for the mission doesn't take long with equipping herself with padded armor, two handguns and its ammo, and four combat knives, and a Taser stick from the base's weapon storage. Since this is a special occasion, she takes the standard utility belt that's dedicated for supernatural battles. Her favorite higher clearance science officer even gave her a prototype gun that'll supposedly help against Ruto's demon.

The prototype gun (still thankfully unnamed because no one in the lab has thought up a cheesy name yet) looked like a bulky shotgun with an attached cartage of weirdly yellow gelatinous pellets acting as its bullets. The science department summed it up to a gun full of ritual spices and augmented raw metals.

Before taking the prototype Nemesis threw a suspicious glance at the newbie scientist in the back of the lab. She could've sworn that this was the highly dangerous project the department was working on and that the newbie accidentally knocked in cheesy junk food into the boiling melting pot that was forging the ammo. When Nemesis caught the newbie's eye, she did her best disapproving face, hopefully hinting that she was the only one to witness that screw up.

The newbie instantly hid back behind the beakers and computer monitors.

Yeah it looks like the Nemesis Organization is taking any recruitment they can get to increase this smallish operation.

So maybe there's an ulterior motive on working with Info.

Nemesis gave the do-it-yourself hacker a proper communication device and a temporary tablet that will be sufficient enough for their mission. Info stationed at her house for Nemesis' sake, preferring to keep an asset like her away from immediate danger.

"This is your master plan?" Info said over coms as Nemesis parks her van a mile away from the school gates at midnight. She turns off the engine and double checks the ammo of all her guns.

"Ruto's in her clubroom and the surveillance team is never wrong," Nemesis loads up the prototype gun and straps it to her body like a backpack. "You figured out the map right?"

"Of course I did, but Oka's not reading on the heat signatures."

"Switch over to radiation reader."

"Oh, okay that's interesting." Nemesis busies herself with adjusting her armor, staring at the pack of C4 charges piled in the back of the van. This is supposed to be a quiet mission but it couldn't hurt to bring along explosions. "So basically Oka's rituals and occult translate to a different kind of science for us to perceive."

"No, I had many functions of the tablet edited down so that you can understand." There was no way she and the rest of Nemesis would actually hand a potential recruit confidential files on the legitimacy of magic. The whole thing about magic being a form of science that human doesn't comprehend is just another form of denial and proof that the public is not ready or willing to understand.

There was a few seconds of silence and then, "After everything, you're only giving me half-truths."

"You'd do the same to me," Nemesis left the uncharged explosives locked inside the van. It was probably a bad idea to bring it anyway. She surveys the empty streets as she walks towards the school entrance. "In fact, you have been doing that to me."

"Maybe we shouldn't trust each other at all and get out of each other's life."

"Ouch, do you hate me that much?"

"Well I certainly don't like being blackmailed."

Nemesis smirked, "Then the tables have turned, dear Info-chan."

Info remained quiet throughout the walk and Nemesis sees someone standing right at the cherry blossom tree entrance.

"Alright," Nemesis said quietly, "Pick a new codename because I'm not risking Ayano knowing you're here. She wants to punch you."

"How do you know that?" Info sighed, "Fine, for now I'll be Invidia."

"That's cute."

"Shut up," Info said the same moment Aishi piped up and said, "Fuck you."

"I'm just saying you really clean up well for out little date," Nemesis complimented on Aishi's green hoodie, jean shorts and legging combo, and black, leather gloves.

Aishi looked the agent up and down, "So this is what you really look like."

Nemesis planned for this and Aishi seeing her true face doesn't seem like there's any future consequences because who knows, Aishi might not survive the night.

"Here, a token of my appreciation," she says, quickly changing the subject, and hands over two of the combat knives.

"What about the guns?"

"You might get one for our tenth anniversary."

"No way, this is bullshit, I want a gun."

"I can't just give you a gun. Do you even know how to use it?"

"Just point a shoot."

Nemesis slapped both hands on her face, "You, you, you! Why are you like this?" She instantly waved a hand frantically as Aishi cursed at her, "No not your mental state or personality, just your stupidity."

"Oh that," Aishi said, walking ahead to the main gates, "I blame society."

Info snorts.

"Charming," Nemesis says, not caring who gets the adjective, and follows the girl.

Eerie and doom are no stranger to the agent as they break into the school. As the only light source, moonlight leaks through the windows making the walls sickly pale. The two try to keep each step silent as they head towards the Occult Clubroom.

Last Nemesis checked; Ruto and the demon have been hiding in the clubroom each night, likely doing rituals of sorts from the 'radiation' readings but tonight she and the science department noticed a lack of wavelengths compared to previous nights.

"Invidia," Nemesis whispers and, for Aishi's sake, raised a hand to touch her earpiece, totally not to look like a cool spy, "What does the scans read?"

"Everything is unchanged, both heat signatures and radiation scans only show you two and Oka." Info said, "I'm toggling through other data files but aren't too helpful. She's just been hiding out in her clubroom probably doing a ritual but why here and not her house? But for tonight there no activity happening, she's not even moving from her spot."

"What," Nemesis pauses, signaling Aishi to stop as well.

"She hasn't moved at all," Info said, "Do you think she's waiting for you?"

Nemesis looks to Aishi and whispers, "Kusha approached you today, what exactly did he beg?"

"He asked me not to kill Oka and to trust him."

"And what no blackmail?"

"Nah, he stopped when he tried to do the therapy-research thing."

Info hummed into her ear, "Hmm, wow I can't believe it's possible to work with others without the use of blackmail."

"Shut up." Nemesis rushed in a "Not you Aishi. Shut up Invidia."

"Whoever this Invidia is, I like her." Aishi crossed her arms, "Purely for the fact that you're annoyed."

Nemesis growled and trended on. She has no motivation to retreat now. Ruto is an impeding threat and someone has to put her down. Nemesis has her orders and her attempts on fulfilling them has been challenging especially with demons involved.

Because hey, if she knew that demonic crimes was going on she would give full responsibility of this assignment to Nemesis' supernatural department. But she can't because they're currently trapped in another realm. And so this story has her instead to kill a demon.

To be honest, this is the Nemesis agent's first time fighting a demon without any high quality agent alongside her. There's just Info and Ayano Aishi so excuse Nemesis for feeling nervous as they approach the Occult Clubroom.

As they round the corner of the hallway they see a hoard of green haired clones.

…Why?

Nemesis took a deep, slow breath as she stares down the ten, unmoving Midori clones. "Invidia, you said that there are no other heat signatures."

"That's correct." Info guessed, "Someone without a beating heart is there?"

"I hate Kusha," Nemesis declared.

One Midori steps up, "Yeah, we can tell. So ladies, turn back now or we will attack."

Nemesis and Aishi shared a look. The agent glared and Aishi nodded back.

She did a quick draw and fired her hand gun at Midori's central core. That Midori collapsed backwards into another clone and while the other eight of them ran at the intruders. Nemesis shoots another Midori and kicks her before two clones tackle her to the ground, wrestling to get the guns. Nemesis jams her elbow at Midori's eye and snaps out the Taser stick with her free hand, stabbing the other Midori. Pushing them off her takes a lot of effort, especially when she knows that Kusha added lead into their bone structure, but she then her feet are getting pulled.

A Midori attempts to swing her into the wall but Nemesis shoots her right between the eyes and they both fall, rolling to the ground with Nemesis shuffling quickly to stand with her back against the wall. The clones that got shot down are motionless as five Midori's target her.

Aishi's further down the hallway slashing and punching her way with three Midori clones. She'll be fine.

Nemesis focuses on her attackers and whacks the Taser stick on Midori's forehead and shoots another Midori on her left. She lets the clones get closer and she enters a sequence of punching, kicking, shooting, and electrifying. When one Midori falls Nemesis kicks her to fall into the next Midori but then another clone jumps onto her shoulders, reaching for the gun.

More shots ring out and Nemesis lets her unbalanced weight slam the Midori on her to the floor and Nemesis is still on her feet, swinging the Taser but that gives another Midori the opportunity to gut punch her.

Stumbling back, she drops her gun, hoping that its cartage is empty but she doesn't risk it and kicks it away from the fight. The Midori that just punched her gets the agent into a choke hold but Nemesis easily reaches for her other hand gun and aims for the stomach.

The clone loses its grip and Nemesis breaks free from the hold, running at the next clone. Nemesis grabs Midori's left arms and runs with it, to the wall and runs up the wall to the ceiling, still holding the limb and flips backwards to the ground and snapping the arm out of its socket as Nemesis lands on top of a different clone. She quickly lets go of the dislocated arm and shoots the prone Midori.

There are two clones left and one of them steals her knife even when Nemesis slams the Taser into its jugular. Nemesis shoots at the other clone that's running to the discarded gun. The Midori with the knife manages to stab her in the thigh right before Nemesis shoots her brain out.

With the last Midori kicked away with her good leg, Nemesis begins shooting at the two Midori's still in combat with Aishi.

Aishi's out of breath and whips her head at her with wide eyes, probably because the bullet flew right in front of her eyes to get the Midori on her right, preparing to stab Aishi with a stolen combat knife. She gets distracted and lets the final clone manhandle her weight to body slam her to the floor.

Nemesis takes a deep breath and shoots the last clone.

"They didn't bring any weapons," Nemesis said, pulling the knife out of her thigh, suspiciously away from anything extremely vital. The proto gun is still intact despite the fight she was in. "Kusha's going easy on us."

Aishi groans too loudly for a hallway full of dead, bloody bodies.

Nemesis is walking over the corpses and heads over to open the Occult Clubroom and stops when she hears distant footsteps.

Walking into the hall is another Midori, calmly picking up Nemesis' discarded gun and aims it at them. "You really don't want to go in there."

Immediately, Nemesis glares at Aishi, daring her to say anything but it seems her persuasion has reached its limit.

Sighing, Aishi pockets her remaining knife, "As tempting at it is to die valiantly and possibly avoid a math test tomorrow, this has gone long enough."

"Aishi," Nemesis growled, hand on the door and ready to open, "I will ruin your life."

"Yeah, well, get in line."

She walks past Midori and the clone doesn't spare her a glance. The gun is still aimed at the agent.

Nemesis stares straight at the door, thinking of what's inside. She reaches for the pouch of salt from her utility belt. She carefully spills the salt along the doors. "I've seen the training labs. You weren't trained for guns. Kusha wouldn't dare put that into your programming. He just isn't that type of evil."

Nemesis opens the door and enters the clubroom.

The door shuts behind her by itself. Oka Ruto kneels in the center of the room, praying to a small alter where a book lies open to a page Nemesis can't read. Small wax candles encircle the girl and to Nemesis' horror, above each flame is a floating orb of darkness. Embers flicker up into the orbs, absorbing into it. Ruto's hands are raised, palms up, letting her head lull back, swaying a little bit.

It was like she's offering more of herself.

Ruto lacks the demonic arms but there's still a ghoulish look to her pale skin and Nemesis sees blood underneath her broken nails. Her arms, hands, and legs have blood and scratches but all Nemesis could conclude on is that those wounds were self-harming. So far, Ruto has been targeting defenseless students and the Midori clones and it's only the clones that seem strong enough to actually do some damage on her but now Kaga has likely withdrew his orders on attacking her.

From the looks of it, Ruto is a sacrificial lamb.

Drawing out the prototype gun, Nemesis positions herself and aims.

And then Ruto's head snapped backwards to stare at her. Her back arched and her hands slammed down to stare at the agent like that thing in the god damn exorcist movie.

Ruto opens her mouth to say something when Nemesis starts shooting.

The yellow ammunition acts like any regular bullet except that once it enters a layer of skin of a host, the entrance would starts sizzling, essentially burning the host and demon. Nemesis gets in five shots and Ruto collapse on her back, twitching.

Just to be safe, as the body kept twitching in the center of the room, Nemesis used the last of her salt to circle around Ruto. Finally she stops having a seizure. Nemesis still has the gun aimed for her head.

"Oka Ruto," Nemesis said, "You have brought a demon to our realm and have killed innocents."

Ruto slowly struggles to stand up with the bullet holes still sizzling and her head downcast. "Are to be my jury, judge, and executioner?"

"Yes," Nemesis answers and whispers to Info, "The scanners, Invidia?"

There's a chill of anxiety in her as she waits to hear Info's voice. "She's there. She has a heat signature and no demon signature."

"Alright," Nemesis lowers the prototype and pulls back out her hand gun.

"You're going to kill me, just like that?" Ruto said and Info hisses a repeat of what the girl said, stressing the work kill.

Once Nemesis aims the gun to Ruto's heart, she waits a second too late and Ruto makes a jump out of the salt circle. With her accuracy, the bullet hits the moment Ruto passes through the circle.

Two things happen.

Info is screaming in her ear, "Wait! It's back!"

And yes, the demon's back in control.

The demonic arms shift into existence as Ruto stumbles further away from the salt that's been kicked around. Nemesis shoots again and again but the demonic arms, skin bone tight with no definition of muscle, catch the bullets as Ruto violently and unnaturally twitch her whole body, caving in or rolling her head or popping the air sockets between her bones.

The little orbs of pure darkness float over to her and sink into her skin. She stops moving but the disembodied limbs still slide around her and the pool of darkness appearing underneath her.

Nemesis switches back to the proto gun and walks backwards to the door, shooting the demon.

This time, when a hand tries to deflect the bullet, it burns through it and hits Ruto's left shoulder. She aims for the heart when a booming pulse rattles through the air.

 _"So you're the third soul that keeps lingering around Kaga and Ayano."_

It… sounds like Ruto but her mouth only moves slightly, not quite forming the words she's saying and yet she's the source of the sound.

She tries to aim again but the rattling in her brain isn't stopping, making her loose concentration. Also she's receiving static from the coms, barely hearing Info call out to her until it becomes endless screech of static and buzz. Nemesis shoots at the hands approaching her.

 _"Your soul is rather dark. As someone of your career, I expected to sense steel or gunpowder,"_ Ruto began floating up, reaching top tier of craziness. _"Instead you stand before me with an aura of desperation. And that feels like the emptiness of hunger, needing something that must come from someone else."_

A rush of nausea overcomes a swaying, unbalanced Nemesis. She vaguely recalls this feeling back in Kaga's labs but it felt more like a radius of enfeeblement. This time it is amplified to fear and despair and Nemesis wants to gag on the air around her and, ugh, she has a nose bleed. Along with the smell of blood that clogging her nose, there's a horrible stench in the air.

She tries to regain her resolve and aim the gun at Ruto.

Ruto is nose to nose with her, flinching Nemesis to back up against the wall.

The hands don't touch her but Ruto's creepy smile does petrify her.

 _"You have a life that gives and takes but not in your favor and yet you selflessly live with that. I wonder how long you can endure this suffering."_

Nemesis fires the gun point blank into Ruto's stomach.

She staggers back, the sizzling skin calming the agent. Nemesis whacks the butt of the gun at Ruto's forehead and fires off another shot in her leg. And then the disembodied limbs get Nemesis, they gripped her legs first as she shoot and whacked away the hands crawling up her body.

 _"Will they call you a failure of a hero when this is over? Will they even acknowledge the goodness of your heart? All anyone will see is how cruel and hot headed and murderous you are, even the people on your side."_

Ensnaring her, the ghoulish limbs bend and unnervingly and inhumanly curl and twist around Nemesis.

Gross.

(At least it wasn't the fingers)

In Ruto's real hands was now the proto gun.

 _"I think this has gone long enough."_

The flesh coils tightly and pulls each limp in different directions harshly.

Nemesis screams. There's still static in her ear piece so she doesn't really know if she's getting any signal of help.

That leaves her screaming for help from probably the only thing still around and kicking.

"Midori!" A hand starts chocking her. "Help!"

As soon as black dots cloud into her vision, Midori barges in and Ruto throws Nemesis at the newcomer. Easily, Midori takes the hit and carries her out of the school as Nemesis regains her breath.

"I am not giving you any damn award," Nemesis said as she's being carried in the arms of a clone, passing through the hallway of dead clones that's already being cleaned up by its kin.

Midori frowns at her and says nothing for the entire trip. It's only at the school gates where she sets Nemesis down when she says, "You're having a really bad day and I'm sorry."

She walks back to the school. Rather quickly, she must add.

The Nemesis agent takes a deep breath and heads back to the van, wondering how the hell this will get resolved.

Unfortunately, the ever growing pit of unease and doom in her stomach grows when she checks the van and sees the explosive charges are gone.

 _God_

 _Fucking_

 _Damn this mission._

* * *

 _Hopefully the fight scenes are good and understandable. Idk it's a tricky thing to write for me._

 _Thanks for reading!_

 _Next Chapter: Dead Girl Walking_


	15. Dead Girl Walking

It is Thursday and this has to be the one card up her sleeve she did not think would come into play this early on. What is this, week three?

Megami Saikou has to know the players and the pieces and knows to feel guilty when she categorizes people as such. She kind of has to since she's so far removed from the danger; the best she has to be is a stagiest.

Her Student Council is following her commands without hesitation. It's just the ones beginning to doubt her are the one she needs to be cautious about, especially those with in leader positions.

The Club Leaders don't exactly turn to her as their superior. They listen to her and attend their meetings but Megami suspects that they want to see her as an equal, in other words they also think their own ideals and needs may be more important which is inaccurate.

Look, she's not saying that her word is law. Megami just knows what is most accurately best for the school and its staff and students. Unfortunately she is unable to outright tell them the details of anything she truly knows.

The distance is reluctantly necessary Megami must admit, but she'll find a way back to school, one way or another.

For now she has to observe and guide her pieces, calculate for everything.

One legal action she has prepared is upgrading the security system of the school. Thanks to her elitist position, she's able to get proper security cameras and metal detectors set up on campus early this morning. Enough though this was rushed, the Student Council did a wonderful job maintaining the student body as well as the staff members from having an outrage or panic. Megami is so grateful for having the Student Council, the only real people she could trust.

As for the rest of the students, she knows who would waste her time but things could change and rear their ugly head at her.

She needs to be adaptive when pieces like Fureddo Jonzu suddenly contact her. He has been begging the Student Council to let him have a private meeting since Monday and while her council is absolutely loyal to her, their patience can be wearied thin. So bright and early, Fedduro is quickly ushered into the presidents' conference room.

"Fureddo Jonzu," Megami greets, "I believe you and your club have been in a lot of trouble recently?"

He frowns at her as he takes his seat, "You sound just like the guidance counselor."

"Well we both see to the matters of students causing a ruckus."

He blinks at her, "Rock us?"

Megami takes a deep breath, letting go of any frustration. She's a very patient person. "Please explain why you're here."

"Of course, I need to talk to you about all the killings." Fureddo shifts his eyes side to side, expecting something to pop up in the room. "I think the one behind all these murders is a student."

Wow, it's about time someone else caught on but does it have to be him? She doesn't feel the need to feign shock so she remains stoic.

"I hope you have evidence backing your case," she said.

He began talking about the first murder. Amai Odayaka was reported to die from a car hit but her time frame for leaving the campus didn't fit with her usual schedule. Also at the memorial in her clubroom, the Photography Club noticed fresh paint on the kitchen's wall.

"You're not giving me evidence, Fureddo."

Fureddo bit his lip and said hesitantly, "We have a black light lamp and luminal and well…" From his pocket he showed off a camera's SD card and with Megami's okay he poked it into the laptop. In the text box function of the video call, Fureddo was able to send her pictures. Two pictures were of a black light shining on the wall and then the floor, it shows illuminated splash marks, likely of blood if this is what he's implying.

"Have you confirmed whose it belongs to?"

"Well no," his face fell, "I was gonna go to Kaga for help but then…" Fedduro huffed and regained his confidence, "Things haven't been normal over here. Especially when the Science Club died saved for Kaga. Hell, we still don't know the cause of death for the Science Club! The police force enlisted here isn't talking to us and I doubt that secret service of yours isn't going to publicly help us."

"First off, going public is against the very definition of secrecy and secondly, they were called upon my father, not me."

"And not the school," he added. "How would they react to finding out your dad sent spies here?"

She stared at him, barely a glare but enough to make his compose slip up from fear and nervousness. "Badly, I predict. Which is why they won't find out, yes?"

"Yes," he nodded franticly. Using fear over students may be a dirty tactic for Megami to abuse but it does keep certain peers in her loyalties. "But Megami, with the deaths of the club, and the evidence we found, is it possible that there is no secret spies here?"

As much as she wants to believe that, she knows the truth. She found her father's email account and she only had time to read one conversation but it was enough to send her into a panic. This Nemesis organization is in disarray, they're failing at whatever her father requested them to do.

"I'll look into that," she lied, "but I know my father and he makes good on his promises."

Fureddo nodded and gulped, "Okay and Megami, back to my point about, um, a student being the one behind all of this. A student can easily get into the Cooking Clubroom when Amai's alone. And for the Science Club, well, I don't have anything, yet!" He added hastily, "I swear my club is able to get something."

"But you all became intolerable to the police and Ms. Kunahito has given you warnings to stop," said Megami.

"Well I was hoping I can get your permission or blessing or something to freely investigate."

The Student Council President was about to deny his proposal but reconsidered. This could be useful. "If you truly think and find evidence that a student is the threat among us then by all means do it. But I don't think advertising my willingness would be good."

Sheepishly, he scratched his head, "Having some diplomatic immunity would be good."

"No, it's counterproductive." Megami explained, "If I gave you my okay that will send the message to the students that they should distrust us. Our Student Council is here to be dependent upon to maintain order and if I grant that certain immunity onto another club it will seem very strange and unprofessional. Understood?"

"Yes," Fureddo said, most likely not understanding her words. Fortunately his lack of political strategy is in her favor.

"Good, then you fully understand that you cannot say that I'm allowing you to investigate other students. Lie whatever you must to continue but my Council will check in on your progress. I'd suggest your cover story being one of getting pictures for the local newspaper, hoping for money."

He didn't look happy at that. "So we appear greedy when we're trying to help everyone."

"Sacrifices must be made, Fureddo," Megami attempts to instigate his heroic and justice seeking persona. "I'm tasking you with protecting this school by finding the truth of the matter. You can do that for me yes?" A charming smile from a lovely young and scary girl made Fureddo nod vigorously.

The call ended with Megami feeling less than satisfactory, like after every other conference she has with the school. Is she doing enough for the school? For the students?

Her school life is nonexistent with her father breathing down her back about the threat of any sort of danger. Curse that man, his actions have brought unnecessary attention to her school and it trigged these murders to happen.

Undoing his mess was taking away her time to work on the first priority threat that began it all with the first murder. On the third day of the new semester girl was murdered on campus. No one knew her well because it was the beginning of the school year and yet she was brutally, sloppily murdered in the front of the school yard.

The official police record more or less eased the community, stating they caught the culprit but that did not take away the guilt Megami had. She is the Student Council President and a student was murdered on her watch. Megami had to make sure that the culprit received punishment.

But it was all for naught.

Her father interfered, insisting that she let it go and that she'll start homeschool lessons. It didn't make sense at the time, her father's concern was never protective and hiding her from the world didn't benefit him when he could use her as a trophy daughter. It took weeks to dig the information out of his computers to learn the truth.

Her father helped cover up the girl's murder. No amount of bile could measure up to the scorn and disgust now living in her heart for her father.

That man is everywhere. Influencing the police, other corporations, _her_ _school_ and it's all for some insane girl that gets away with murder.

No amount of hacking or tracing on his files can formulate a proper answer to why or how her father is involved with Ayano Aishi. Megami can only conclude that Aishi is responsible for every death that has happened. Months later Aishi's body count as increased exponentially.

Megami has been working on this threat since the beginning and there has been no amount of progress from what the murders say. And she'll be damned before she asks for her father's help. Anything associated with him cannot be trusted, not the police and certainly not the Nemesis Agency.

She is in this alone and she cannot entrust her knowledge with her Council, they deserve ignorance. As much as it hurts her, Megami has to stay at home to create emotional barriers as well has security barriers from Nemesis or possibly Aishi.

The email exchanges between Nemesis and her father only gives her a slim feeling of hope that maybe they'll leave if they fail. It doesn't seem likely though.

Megami pressed the heel of her palms to her eyes, rubbing fiercely. Everything is going to utter shit.

[]

[]

[]

Considering the events of last night, Ayano should have seen this coming. This whole mysterious, dangerous shit was starting to gain more public attention. It's pretty hard to ignore the reporters now staking out the school all morning to the point where the police had to herd the students inside the building.

Honestly, Ayano doesn't see the point of all this news coverage. The world is already filled with murderers, liars, and worse, just look at her. Her mother encouraged her behavior, isolated her and left her with the vague orders of finding love and being possessive, paranoid, extremely dependent, have abandonment issues, and who else knows what else is wrong with her.

She became a killer by her mom's design.

"These security cameras are so gaudy," Kaga gagged, walking by her side as they get to class. "I can't believe Megami really approved of this, it's so bulky and unsophisticated. This is totally not her style!"

And then there's Kaga, not a murderer to her knowledge but certainly someone who's capable of it. "Are you obsessed with her?"

"A little but not close to your definition of obsession."

She popped her lips a few times, "So you're not in love with her."

He shrugged. "Define love?"

Ayano elbowed him, "Hey, you're only my therapist before school starts."

"School technically starts when we enter classroom which we currently are not. Also you ditched today's session."

Ever since the sessions, Kaga has gotten more comfortable around her which doesn't bode well since the people around him die. Probably from Oka's hand, er, demonic hands.

"Why do you even care about these sessions?" Ayano glared at the freshly installed metal detectors, forcing students to form lines, "All you've been doing is dig into my family drama as I realize I'm just doomed to end up like them."

"See, we are working on you to stop thinking that you're doomed," Kaga pointed at her. "Just because your family's not good doesn't mean you should be exactly like them."

"That doesn't erase all the same horrible things I've done. But," she stopped Kaga from doing positive reinforcement, "I still don't regret it all." She looked up ahead to the loan shark daughter. Musume looked wind up too tight, ready to run and scream at the faintest of touches. The worst part is her eyes, darting to everything that moved and how no one bats an eye to her behavior. Everyone is simply too wrapped up in the drama of the school rather than the odd behavior of one rich girl.

From the way Kaga followed her eyes to the girl, he didn't seem surprised, he already knew. Kaga's disappointed hmm could've been directed to Musume's situation, Ayano's apathy, or the metal detector as he walks through.

"This really is shoddy craftsmanship. I bet the coding is just as bad."

Ayano shrugged and walked through. She left her usual knife at home to resist the urge to stab the news people shouting at her from the school gates.

Kaga did not stop pestering her, brushing their elbows together. "Honestly, you being emotionally stunted isn't really a high priority to change right now."

"Cool, good to know. Now leave me alone."

Continuing to ignore her apathy, Kaga rubbed his chin, "Even with this pathetic excuse of security, there's still eyes and ears everywhere, watching us and waiting for us to slip up."

"Don't you dare say we have to use code words."

"As fun as that sounds, no, but we do have to watch our words and who's around."

"I hate this," Ayano said. She's constantly being watched by a growing number of people.

First it was Info, Kaga and Midori for who knows how long, then there's Nemesis, and now the whole school's being watched for suspicious activity and she is the embodiment of wrongness.

"Feeling constrained?" Kaga asked.

"Yep," Ayano said, "I feel like nothing I do is for myself."

The school bell rang, warning everyone to move their asses.

"We'll continue this therapy in my, wait," Kaga backpedaled and also had a pointer finger up with his mouth a gap.

"Later loser," Ayano brushed past him to start school.

In the long run, everything is weird by how the teachers are attempting to make everything normal. A few teachers have already left their job according to the lack of staff and the increase of temps. Honestly, that's pretty flaky of them to flee when life gets spooky with murders.

…Okay so maybe her morals are making her closed minded or whatever. Or that fact that last night she was tasked with murder by a super spy and is not fazed by it.

There's just something itching under her skin from the event of Nemesis using her as a tool for murder. Nemesis saw no value in her other than killing and Ayano actually understands that.

She, Ayano Aishi, has spilled blood for a hopeless fantasy that she dedicated her life for and Taro might not even be what's best for her.

It still hurts to admit that. She doesn't want to dare put any sort of stain on Taro but since reviewing her legacy, it's uncomfortable to see the cycle of lovesickness and how it's the same damn formula.

She's not special and to an extent, Taro's not special.

If she had a glooming atmosphere that deterred onto threating levels, well no one got too close to her to point out her depression. She even avoided Kokona and Saki, texting them in advance that today is not a good day for her and she wants to be alone as much as possible. Ayano doesn't hesitate to end it with saying she'll be alright by tomorrow though. Fortunately they respected her decision, responding with words and emoji's of comfort.

A little piece of her felt intact and not corroded.

On an annoying note, Kaga was persistent and still followed her around. It wasn't too horrible, especially when she knows he's only behaving properly due to the camera system and whatever benefits he gets from their workshop therapy sessions.

They're spending lunch in the library. It's been less frequent lately due to the dropout rate. From what she and Kaga overheard, students are avoiding empty hallways and room in fear of murders, ghosts, the Student Council, and the now the Photography Club.

"Wait the Photography Club?" Kaga asked. "Hmm I guess Fedduro finally gained some confidence. Or from what you heard, is in desperate need for money. I mean resorting to media sell outs is a new low for him but given his life…"

He trailed off, noting the dull stare of disinterest from Ayano. And then his… _his everything_ changed when Kaga propped his elbows on the table and squeezed his cheeks. He batted his eyes and grinned at her, "Oh my goodness isn't Taro looking mighty cute today. Like damn that nerd is so cute when he sneezes."

Ayano bonked her manga at his face. She hoped that whatever camera in the room didn't catch her foot kicking Kaga's shin. "What the living fuck is that?"

She seethed at him. At no point in their therapy session did Kaga ever spoken about Taro good heartedly and especially not with some cutesy-flirty tone.

Kaga knocked the manga down, pinching his nose bridge, "Oh you know, imitating a girl you knew."

That froze her up because the first girl she thought up with was the first girl she murdered. These therapy sessions had her review all her actions – _all_ and _every_ obsessive and unhealthy decision she made.

She chose Taro Yamada because he was genuinely nice to her and she was caught up in the romantic atmosphere and her mother's programming teachings.

In a way she also chose her rivals.

That first girl was barely a threat. In fact Ayano can recall that blonde, pig tailed girl finding a bunch of other boys just as charming as Taro. And then she resorted to murder her.

"Any regrets now Ayano?"

Ayano punched him.

"OH MY GOD." It was not Kaga yelling that.

She doesn't quite know what to do so Ayano is just frozen with her fist still in contact with Kaga's face. The puncher and the punched stare at each other instead of the new person in the room.

Budo Matsuda has to physically push away Ayano's arm and she abides by moving over to the next empty seat. Budo takes her chair and gets a look at Kaga's cheek and that dastard is giggling.

"I think," Kaga has to restart his sentence due to his laughing, "I think she can actually beat your ass Budo!"

"You don't want to go to the nurse, don't you?" Budo said exasperated and leaned back on his chair.

Kaga wrapped an arm around Budo's shoulders, "You know me so well."

"What has he been punched before and refused the school nurse?" Ayano asked and then remember who said nurse was. "Oh wait."

"That woman is a doll but cannot be trusted."

"And when you say doll, Kaga?"

"I ensure you I mean human."

"A meat sack of flesh, yes."

Budo couldn't decide on whom to stare at, constantly looking side to side at the weirdos he's sitting with. "What in the world are you two on about?"

"Nothing to worry your pretty lil' head about," Kaga said, patting Budo's head like he's a dog.

Ayano tried to give Kaga a meaningful look to convey her confusion over his behavior with Budo, wondering if Budo is another Midori in disguise. She fucking swears if Budo is just training her to be a part of Kaga's experiments then she'll flip this table.

All she gets from him is him mouthing 'no' and changing the topic. "So Budo, how's your day been?"

"Kaga I can't just ignore that fact that you got punched right now." He rummages through his backpack and then hands Kaga a chilled water bottle. "You're lucky I brought this."

"Don't worry," the scientist said, pressing the cold bottle to his face, "I make sure I only get punched on the days you are able to take care of me."

Ayano has a feeling that he's telling the complete truth.

Budo turns to Ayano, "I thought you would honor your word about no revenge?"

"I am not perfect." Ayano had to stop herself from using the word special, otherwise her thoughts will trail back into analyzing her pining over Taro.

"Yeah Budo, she can't be your perfect student," Kaga nagged at him, "She's only human."

Fortunately Budo was facing Kaga when Ayano had an involuntary full body twitch.

"I know I just thought you'd have more control, Ayano. And also, meat shack?"

"Not my brightest word choice, yes," she shrugged.

Kaga inputted, "Which is weird since you get perfect scores on vocabulary tests." He counted on his fingers, "There's organic specimen, carcass, corpuscles, protoplasm, embodiment, or even constitution."

The martial artist enthusiast blinked, "Like DND?"

"Exactly!"

Dare she ask? But Ayano's stupid mouth already dares. "What's DND?"

Kaga uses the next eight minutes to describe the dungeons and the dragons as sporadically as possible. The weird part is, Ayano understands his explanation of turn base combat, roleplaying, character alignment, and lastly he talks about the main lore of the gods.

"Okay this kind of sounds like my video games," Ayano said, "but with a lot more words."

"A visual novel," Kaga answered.

She makes a cringing frown, "Yeah I prefer action games."

"Ah yes the good old stabby-stabby and shooty-shooty!" Kaga gives her a thumb's up.

Budo, silent to the point where Ayano nearly forgot he was here, says, "Are you two friends?"

"Dude, we're talking about DND," Kaga deadpan face conveys how disappointed he is. "I consider that a high level in at least acquaintances."

"I don't," Ayano butted in.

The guy in the middle sighed, "I think that's as far as friendship I can get with either of you two."

"It beats being Kaga's test subject," Ayano dully grits through her teeth. She just has to make sure of Budo's intentions. He's too familiar with Kaga to be safe.

She stares at the boys, waiting for any reaction but Kaga's still smiling like they're having a jolly good time and Budo's back straighten up. He's staring at the table, spacing out like when he's overthinking after their club meetings.

Kaga laughs like Ayano said a joke, in his case it probably is. "Oh Ayano, you know how fun of a scientist I can be." Budo's eyes flickered to her and back to the table.

"Not from personal experience," Ayano easily says back. Either Budo knows something about Kaga or he knows something about her. Neither is an ideal scenario. "What about you Budo?"

He shares a look with Kaga, whose smile looked pained for a brief second. The muscles tension dropped as Budo casually said, "I help him with one project, like scanning my brain while I do my training routine."

…that son of a _bitch!_

Ayano slowly turns her head to the son of a bitch and stares him down. For a moment Kaga had a blank face, almost confuse- no theorizing what she's thinking. And when his eyes widened a fraction he figured it out.

"That sounds very intriguing," Ayano said, looking at Budo but is practically staring though him to reach Kaga. "Is it about reaction timing or neurons connecting with muscle actions?"

"Yeah, something like that," Budo confirmed, all but saying that he really is another test subject or asset. His brain scan became the prototype that enhances Midori's combat. Ayano should have known from the familiarity of sparring with Budo.

She got up and left the library.

"Ayano, is something wrong?" Budo calls after her.

She wants to yell at him, call him another one of Kaga's puppets. But she can't. The only damn thing that's trustworthy of Kaga is possessiveness over his stuff. Midori's at his loyal army and he treats them as fond servants. The way Kaga treats Budo is more guarded, trying to get Budo away from their craziness. Exactly how she acts around Kokona and Saki.

"This is very over dramatic of you."

And of course it's Kaga that follows her.

"Why are you in my life?" Ayano turns to him. It was him that sent Midori after her, it was him that confronted an agitated Info to enlist in her as an ally, and now he's still up and kicking. "You always go for the bigger threats like Info and Nemesis, damn even Oka I guess, but for some reason you are here with me, someone who doesn't like you."

"I have my reasons," he said, rolling his weigh from his toes to his heels.

"Unbelievable," Ayano hollered, "You know, you're the over dramatic one here with pinning Midori and Budo on me."

"Oh please," Kaga rolled his eyes, "I don't have complete control over them or even you. Also for the record, it was all on you for joining Budo's club."

Ayano stomped right up to him and pointed a sharp finger nail under his chin, "Coming out of your mouth does not reassure me in the slightest. On some level, you are obsessed with me. Digging into my family history is one thing but throwing people into my life is what really makes me angry."

"And why is that?"

"You know why. I am incompetent with my feelings regarding other the people I feel the slightest bit of positive affection for."

"What about negative affection? Me."

"I still want to hurt you."

"See you didn't use the word kill! Now that's progress!" He swats away Ayano's hand, "Now if only you apply that growth to your intelligence. Remember," he sang, "the walls have ears and eyes." He took advantage of her frozen, ashamed state and backed away from her, "Don't worry I'm sure your bestie will take care up you." Kaga returned to the library.

Ayano was left fuming alone.

[]

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[]

* * *

 _ENTER PASSWORD_

 _[XXXXXXXX]_

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 _…Loading…_

 _…Loading…_

 _…Loading…_

 _Loading Complete_

* * *

 _Welcome to the Security Installation Ver. 2.0 of AKADEMI HIGH SCHOOL_

 _[USER MANUAL]_

 _[MAINTENCE REPORT]_

 _[METAL DETECTOR ARCHIVE]_

 _[ **CAMERA FEED ARCHIVE** ]_

 _[IDENTIFICATION SCAN ARCHIEVE]_

 _[OVERRIDE SHUTDOWN]_

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 _ASSESSING SELECTED [CAMERA FEED ARCHIVE]_

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 _CAMERA FEED ARCHIVE:_

 _[LEVEL ONE]_

 _[ **LEVEL TWO** ]_

 _[LEVEL THREE]_

 _[LEVEL FOUR]_

* * *

 _ASSESSING SELECTED [LEVEL TWO]_

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 _LEVEL TWO CAMERAS:_

 _[TIMESTAMP – LIVE: 22:55:52]_

 _[001-050]_

 _[051-100]_

 _[101-150]_

 _[151-200]_

 _[201-250]_

 _[251-300]_

 _[ALL FEED]_

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 _[ **USER COMMAND** ]: Filter - Timestamp [12:00:00]-[13:00:00]_

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 _…Processing…_

 _Processing Complete_

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 _LEVEL TWO CAMERAS – [FILTER ON]:_

 _[TIMESTAMP: 12:00:00-13:00:00]_

 _[001-050]_

 _[051-100]_

 _[101-150]_

 _[151-200]_

 _[201-250]_

 _[251-300]_

 _[ **ALL FEED** ]_

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 _ASSESSING SELECTED [ALL FEED] PLAYBACK_

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 _FEED PLAYBACK START - [12:00:01]_

The first floor interior of Akademi High School has only a few students walking around, most of whom are heading towards populated areas. The cameras scan each and every face, tagging names to everyone.

* * *

 _[ **USER COMMAND** ]: Track [Ayano, A]_

* * *

 _…Tracking…_

 _Tracking [ **Ayano, A** ]_

* * *

At this hour, the cameras track a regular student, simply having lunch and conversing with friends. But this particular student abruptly changes her behavior and has an interesting conversation with other student in the hallway of the library.

 _[Ayano, A]_ and _[Kusha, K]_ are both tagged as _[CRITICAL THREATS]_. Their conversation is recorded.

 _[Kusha, K]_ returns to the library.

 _[Ayano, A]_ marches away. The camera zooms in to her face. She's frustrated, conflicted of emotions, potentially hostile.

She walks into view of _[CAMERA 169]_. Meanwhile _[CAMERA 168]_ receives static interference.

She walks into view of _[CAMERA 170]_. _[CAMERA 169]_ is now receiving static interference.

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 _[ **USER COMMAND** ]: Fast-forward_

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 _FASTFORWARD_

The recorded visuals speed up. The feed continued as such, _[Ayano, A]_ walking down the hallways with static cameras trailing behind her.

By _[12:26:31]_ cameras in the radius of the last location of _[Ayano, A]_ were static.

Finally at _[12:39:06]_ the static was clearing up. _[CAMERA 213]_ pinpointed the designated target. She is in the main corridor, there is blood on her.

 _[Ayano, A]_ is out of breath and kneels over a body. Red stains her uniform shirt and blood is getting soaked up in her long socks and skirt. She has her hands pressed against the abdominal of the bleeding girl.

The girl is laying up, her head at its side, facing _[Ayano, A]_. Her purple hair is a mess in the blood puddle.

She is identified as _[Sunobu, K]._

A small window opens up, reading her heartbeat. It is very weak.

 _[Ayano, A]_ snaps her up. In _[CAMERA 212]_ is _[Jonzu, F]_ , he's still and scared but his finger presses off the button of his camera. He took a picture.

"GO GET FUCKING HELP!" she screams.

* * *

 _Hi! So far this is all the completed chapters of this arc! Maybe there will be a smallish hiatus for the next two chapters to really finish this arc or not._

 _Thanks for reading! Really, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading._


	16. For the Dead and the Departed

It is Friday and… and…

Nothing feels alright anymore. Just what is happening?

Students are dying on campus practically every week and it is horrifying to find out that someone got seriously injured just yesterday. Reports from the Photo Club say that it was attempted murder and honestly it's not a surprise anymore!

For Kokona Haruka, this is a little more disturbing for obvious, maybe even selfish, reasons.

Practically everyone saw Kizana all bloodied up and rushed to the hospitable. The hallway got crowded fast with everyone curious and panicking. One look at the bleeding girl, her arms scratched up, a nasty tear in her stomach, peeled, twisted skin at her neck, it sent many students vomiting to the bathroom.

Kizana Sunobu was always a dark mirror to Kokona, trading beauty for endless confidence, gained both extremes of the popularity scale and strutting with it. Once upon a time Kokona was envious to the theater girl but it was always for vanity, never for her constant disgust.

But even for a person like Kizana, she doesn't deserve this, to be hauled away in a bloody mess, barely grasping at life as the school watches in moral dilemma. There were a few mumbled passes of how maybe this is karma's work or someone had enough of her. Typical rumors and cruelty focused around a girl as mean as her.

More comments about Kizana were told all over social media last night and then the local news channel reported the incident. Another tragedy of Akademi High School, they say, at the moment there is no word on young Sunobu's recovery.

Now everyone at school, or those who bothered to show up, is boiling over the knowledge that there was an attempted murder on top of all the other _successful_ murders. God, this is maddening.

Kokona and Saki held onto each other when they got to the school gates, bright an early. If she's being honest, she just wanted to stay home and cuddle with her girlfriend but instead she got an email from Uekiya Engeika to meet up with the other Club Presidents.

It is nerve wracking to be unofficially pushed into the leader position for the Cooking Club only because she was the second best cook and spend the most club time with Amai. Yeah, apparently that's all it takes to be a president. Saki's been telling her that's she'll be a good leader but Kokona remains unconfident. Entering the meeting room with other Presidents made her position as Kokona President of the Cooking Club even more real.

There's only three other presidents there with Uekiya and none of them look happy.

"Thank you for coming," Uekiya greets. She has dark circles around her eyes, probably from another sleepless night.

"No problem-o," Kokona said as she and Saki took their seats at the table. "This is about yesterday, isn't it?"

Uekiya's right hand man, Budo Matsuda sighs deeply. "I've talked to Fureddo and he says that she was critically injured. She lost a lot of blood."

"There was also too many people around," Asu Rito said. The sporty girl has half of her body slumped over the table and angrily exclaimed, "I can't believe some of them took pictures!"

"I made sure none of them were spread online," said Geiji Tsuka. He had a blank sketch pad and a pencil in his hands. Mindlessly, he tapped the pencil to the pad, only creating little dots.

"How'd you managed that?" Kokona asked.

He stared at his sketch pad, "I swatted their phones out of their hands. They got the message."

Saki nodded, very serious like, "Noice."

"Thank you."

Kokona looked to Uekiya, "So what happens now? Are we setting up a get well soon card?"

"I was thinking we should prioritize the other students," she said. "Many have already ditched school since Monday but those who remain are frightened. The few I've spoken to have said that they're only here because they're parents told them to."

"So basically, we need to work on moral boosting," Asu said with her forehead against the table.

Suddenly Saki slammed her hands on the table. "I'm sorry but this is fucked up. You're friend just got seriously injured, albeit she is an asshole at times but she's like your fellow club president. And from what we've seen is that it's always been you guys handling the students and not the fucking teachers!"

Kokona nodded, "Saki's right. While I appreciate all you and Nurse Muja have done, it's more worrying when you realize that the school doesn't care about us."

Saki added, "You don't need to protect the students from realizing how unsupportive the teachers are. It became more obvious when it's the Club Presidents helping the students and not the adults."

"That's why we're doing this," Uekiya stood up. Her eyes are watery and her voice wavered a little but she has her head held high. "We are the students and we are here for everyone else. The teachers have abandoned us, hell perhaps even Megami, but we don't need them to help each other."

"No that's wrong," Kokona said. "They need us as much as we need them. We're the prized students of this damn school and they need us to be perfect for the world. And so far they have done a shit job at treating us and our needs.

"After the first girl died, the adults brushed off our concerns and fears. Now this month has been freaky as hell with all the blood and dangers and what did the adults do? Practically nothing!" Kokona was now standing up, Saki still holding her hand. "Megami got a security system that failed. Nurse Muja had a therapy session that's helpful but it's not enough. There is no other adult that's looking out for us; they're all just concerned over this school's reputation and money."

The other three presidents look between her to their current leader. Uekiya held their gaze, frowning because they all knew what Kokona said was true. Students are the ones getting hurt and dying and while some people are trying to help, they fail. As for the adults, the teachers and the staff of this prestigious school, they didn't bother to care.

"It's only us," Uekiya holds back a sniffle as a few tears fall, "I tried to reason with the teachers, the guidance counselor was as far as I got to make a difference and it was only Nurse Muja's therapy sessions that got approved of. They have their skewed priorities and Megami has her own agenda towards this school. No matter what we do or who we turn to, no one is helping us."

"Well like you said, we got Nurse Muja on our side," Kokona said. "We just need good adults."

"And we kick the bad adults out!" Saki exclaimed, jumping up and kicked the air.

"They need us to be perfect little students to continue their reputation," Kokona explained. "We need to use that against them so we can get some real teachers that actually care about us."

The four presidents looked at each other. Uekiya had whipped her wet cheeks but had a serious thinking face on as she and others shared a look that Kokona didn't quite understand. Asu was smiling cockily at Budo and Uekiya, probably to reassure them. Geiji on the other hand was biting his lip, unsure but he only looked to Uekiya for leadership. As for Budo he appeared to be the unreadable one. He's trying his best to be emotionless with a straight face but his eyes glanced to each face, he looks worried but also forming a plan or solving a puzzle in his head.

Uekiya breaks the silence. "You're right Kokona. We have to change this school, starting with the teachers that belittle us. You said that the other students have similar thoughts right?" Saki and Kokona nodded. "Good, that's great. I suppose we have a revolution to start."

The meeting continued that train of thought with them suggesting ways to oppose the school board and unite the students. Uekiya mentioned in a weird foreboding tone that Megami would be the one to turn the tide, something with information that only she knows or whatever. Kokona was getting too in the zone with all this talk of getting their lives back in order.

For too long she has seen bullying from not only other students but from the disrespect of the teachers. They did nothing to protect the students; they ignore the mental health issues, and instead of doing anything half of them quit from the school.

They all end the meeting with a planned rally for lunch, hoping that the rest of the students will give a shit and realize that they have the power to fix their school.

Oddly that's not where things truly end. Budo ask Kokona and Saki to stay in the room as the other presidents leave for morning class.

"I need to ask something," Budo said. He's frowning and almost regards the two girls with caution by how stiffly put he's standing. "Did you two know that Ayano's the one to find Kizana?"

"What? No!" Kokona turned to Saki who is just as shocked. "No way. Is she okay?"

"And how do you know this?" Saki linked arms with Kokona, a tick she knows meaning Saki's nervous.

"Fedduro told me." Budo winced, "He found Ayano trying to stop the bleeding and then he alerted the nurse and well, Ayano wasn't there when he returned with Nurse Muja. By then Kizana was getting crowded."

"Oh fuck, Ayano, what the fuck happened?" Saki would probably freak out to any answer. Right now she's just nervous energy.

"That's why I asked you two," Budo loosened up his posture, frowning sadly, "I wish I knew how to be helpful in this situation."

Kokona placed a hand on Budo's shoulder, "Well as Club Presidents we'll find a way."

The smile he pulled felt a little forced.

[]

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[]

This… This is a new experience for Ayano Aishi.

She has killed before and there was always the fear of getting caught. Hell, the moment where Kokona almost walked in on her was terrifying because she can't lose Kokona. Her mom taught her that getting away with murder is supposed to be the fun part of her lifestyle. Like how it's all a challenge and shows merit and her loyalty to her soulmate.

After she shouted at the photography guy to get help, someone came to collect her.

The guidance counselor, Miss Genka Kunahito, of all people walked calmly to the scene. Albeit disgusted and on the verge of puking, she still managed to be composed and order Ayano to clean herself up.

Miss Kunahito escorted her to the bathroom to wash away the blood and later to the staff parking lot where a waiting black car was ready to take her home. The woman told her that she'll be picked up Friday morning for a 'talk'.

First of all: SHIT FUCK SHE DONE GOOFED

This is what she gets for doing the right thing and tries to save a bitch like Kizana.

Second of all: she would like to escape into the void but that damn car and more cars stayed outside her house all night and yep, took her to school bright and early in the morning.

She doesn't know what waits for her. All she knows is that she, Ayano Aishi, a known anti-social person who secret kills people in her free time, got caught with a nearly dead body.

At the school gates, still hounded by reporters no doubt here for another story of scandal, where Miss Kunahito opens the car doors and makes her follow the woman to her office. Ayano guesses that she's walking towards her judgement, better the school's punishment rather than the police's.

She had all night to prepare an explanation. Which is to bullshit her heart out.

Like, what else can she say? The truth?

That fucking creepy ass Oka turned off the sun with fucking fog in the hallway? That she was waiting at one end of the hallway and in between them was Kizana stumbling all confused like she couldn't see a damn thing in front of her? That when Ayano tried to approach Oka whipped out her fucking arms and fucking jumped Kizana in a snap? That Ayano couldn't breech the fog to get the Kizana, her mind mistaking her for Kokona, and she had to physically pound at the fog, helpless as Oka continued to scratch Kizana's skin? That it was ghost-demon arms controlled by Oka that clawed Kizana, strangled her, and pulled her hair? That Oka told Ayano that if banged at the barrier one more time she'll gorged out Kizana's eyes?

…The truth that Ayano, for once in her life, tried to save someone?

Even she has a hard time believe it.

It's only when walking past the security camera right before the counselor's office did Ayano remember, oh the whole thing was probably recorded.

Shit.

Well Ayano has no idea whether this is better or worse for her.

Miss Kunahito slid open the door to her office. All appeared professional and cold, just like any other adult office and then the guidance counselor's chair spun around to show off the person occupying it.

"Hello," a busty lady chimed, her white shirt halfway unbuttoned to reveal her red, lacy bra. "I think we have a very important meeting scheduled."

Only now did she, Mida Rana, the incompetent substitute teacher, open her eyes to see Miss Kunahito stiff and red faced with Ayano, a student, by her side.

"Get," Miss Kunahito gritted through her teeth, "out."

"Fuck, sorry sweet cheeks," Miss Rana awkwardly stepped out of the room, buttoning up her shirt.

Ayano did her absolute best to stay expressionless and say nothing as Miss Kunahito regains her composure and took her seat. It is one thing to find out how kinky her teachers are and other to actually witness their pre-foreplay shit. Miss Kunahito typed something on her laptop and then motioned Ayano to take the sole chair in front of the desk.

Good, great, they're ignoring the past few seconds.

"Miss Aishi," she begins, her elbows up and fingers are laced together in a professional manner, "I need you to recount yesterday's event."

Huh. Well, what does Ayano have to lose?

"I saw Oka attack Kizana." There was no change in Miss Kunahito's expression, only the dead eye stare, judging her. "I left the library and then I saw Oka attack Kizana from behind."

The counselor was silent for a moment. "What did Miss Ruto use to stab Miss Sunbou?"

"Her nails."

She blinked, dumbfounded curiosity breaking the stoic adult, "Nails?"

"They're, like, super sharp."

"Uh huh." Miss Kunahito placed her hands down and adjusted her glasses, "Let me recount a few things. This school was a little bit wary of your… background and the possible recompressions that may come. Yet you've proven to be an excellent academic student lacking any or all social interaction.

And then, what this school fears most, a murder happens again. It must be a pattern with how no one was arrested; no one was a suspect either. How impossible and disrespectful it is to find out the police gave up on the case a few days later."

She left room for Ayano to respond, waiting for a reaction.

All Ayano said was, "Yeah that sounds weird." She assumed it was all Info-chan that made the cover up easy. From the way Miss Kunahito is radiating a cold judgment, maybe her murder sprees are getting more obvious.

A new voice appears in the room. "Is that all you have to say, Aishi?"

Miss Kunahito spins the laptop around so that Ayano can face the wrath that is a silver haired, angry girl.

"Out of all the words in the world, you choose weird to be the descriptor?"

Ayano blinked, "Who the fuck –sorry," she directed to the counselor and back to the laptop, "are you?"

The girl twitched, narrowing her eyes even more, "I am Megami Saikou." Ayano tilted her head a little, it sounds familiar. She should know this right? "I'm the Student Council President!" Ayano nodded, accepted the title because, sure, it must mean she's important, she can hear the capitalization, but it is just not important to Ayano. "I protect this school. I am responsible for this school. I do everything I can to keep this school safe."

"And you're doing a great job," Ayano said, ignoring the fact that multiple students have been murdered on site.

"No I am not!"

"Oh thank god," Ayano breathed out in relief. "I thought I would have to say another compliment, ya know, like a liar."

"You are a killer, Ayano Aishi."

Air is sucked out of her lungs as Ayano tries her damn best to not say something stupid. Like what is she supposed to say?

"Do you not deny it?"

"Okay, first off, that's way too many double negatives." Ayano points out a finger at her accuser and then points out another finger for her next point, "Secondly, I am not a killer."

"You cannot fool me," Megami glared. "More importantly, you can't get away with this one."

"Really?" Ayano side eyed Miss Kunahito, still expressionless but intently watching, leaving this whole thing between her and Megami. "Well I guess you're right, I mean, you do have recorded evidence of the whole thing. It proves who's telling the truth." Megami gritted her teeth. "Or you're trying to back me into a corner and confess. It's really all up to you since you're the integrator of this case."

Ayano could not help but lean closer to the camera, just to see her reaction, "I've been in a real police interrogation room, Megami, up your game."

The Student Council President was fuming and began to furiously type, pulling up the security feed, police documents of the all the murders that occurred in the year, and Ayano's permanent record. "That's right Ayano, you got a little talk with the police when the first girl died but you just walked free, pray tell why?"

"Because I'm innocent."

"No you are not!"

"Because the police sucks."

"They are the law enforcement and they were right about you and your mother!"

"Then why not bring me to the police?" Ayano asked frustrated to how long this is dragging on. She just wants out of this conversation. She doesn't need another person digging up her records. If a god was real they would give pity to her for the miserable life she has lived and get her out of this room.

Oddly enough this is what finally shuts Megami up, thank fuck.

That's when the counselor chimes in, "We have to think about the image of the school first."

Megami glares off to something else other than Ayano while she slowly turns her shocked face to Miss Kunahito.

"There have been many inconveniences and tragedies at this school, more so than any other school in the district," she explains coolly, almost scripted and Ayano can see tamed sadness in her eyes. "I allowed Megami this meeting to happen but on the condition that nothing will leave this room and if you're found guilty, your punishment will not go public."

"Great words by the principle," Megami couldn't help but complain.

Whatever Miss Kunahito and Megami are on about, this whole effort of keeping up the façade of a perfect school, it is out of their hands. While the counselor is confined to appeal to these deals, Megami reluctantly follows too.

"That's fucked up," Ayano said.

"For once we are in agreement," Megami said, ever so glaring at the world she lives in.

"Like, you're pinning murder on me but like this school has probably done way worse things than I could ever do."

Miss Kunahito's honest answer is "I can neither confirm nor deny that claim."

"God fucking damn, this school sucks."

"This school is mine," Megami states in a protective, borderline possessive tone. "I will do everything to appoint you at the killer you truly are Ayano Aishi." She took a deep breath, a pause in her anger and rage as she looks just as sad as Miss Kunahito is and just as scared as Ayano is internalizing.

A new document pops on screen. "This is the receipt of money transferred to the police department on the day you got suspected for the first murder of the year."

Ayano skimmed over the words and turns it over to let the counselor read. "Your dad paid them?"

"Yes and I still cannot phantom the reason why but more importantly, he has been keeping an eye on you."

Miss Kunahito turned the laptop back around. There was a very conflicted look on her but her fate was already set, a link between murder, a student, and a rich man will be another thing the school would want no one to learn about.

"Megami, I have no clue why or what your dad is doing." It was on the tip of her tongue to accuse the man as the worst sugar daddy ever but that'll be pushing the limit of Megami's ire.

"As of right now, it doesn't matter. This is proof that you are involved with murder."

This isn't good. This is very, very bad. This is Ayano's no good, very bad day. Fuck life, it was never good. Kokona and Saki will receive all her earthly possessions if she doesn't figure a way out of this mess.

Just think! Be smart!

From the way she's seeing this train wreck crash, she'll get detained into some prison closed off from the world with no one ever caring to think what ever happened to Ayano Aishi.

Her mouth spat out the first idea to talk her way out of this, "But under the agreement you made with Miss Kunahito and the school, you're only supposed to accuse me of the assault on Kizana."

The counselor narrowed her eyes at Ayano, "Miss Aishi, I simply can't let this information slip by without proper punishment, that really isn't a loophole because I will commend you for the murder you're all but admitting you did."

"I am not admitting to anything! Can't we all agree that there is shady bullshit that crosses the grey morality in all of our lives?"

Megami added in her two cents, "You committed multiple murders!"

"That is all speculations, Megami!"

She was just as red-faced from all the yelling just like Ayano and spat out, "Fine but give me a straight answer to this: why have you been stalking Taro Yamada?"

…shit.

Shittttttttt.

That is something she is one hundred percent guilty of. And Megami said that her dad has been watching her so, uh, this day got worst and it's only like eight in the morning.

Megami's got her. She has been shedding herself to admit her vulnerabilities over to why she's been obsessed with Taro and by now she is utterly drained.

It was a constant repeat of the same damning reasons. She is a messed up kid who was taught the wrong ways to love a person.

There's a smile of victory on Megami Saikou, waiting for Ayano to say any words that sentences her guilt. Even Miss Kunahito looks already set to believe it too.

And then all the documents on the laptop is whisked away and replaced with one single email picture.

"What's that?" Ayano asked, for once in her life she says it with genuine confusion and not with a fake ass voice. She adjusted the laptop to face sideways for both her and Miss Kunahito to read over the screen.

It is an email of Mr. Saikou contacting a gun for hire to assassinate a target known to frequent Akademi High School, likely a student. Another screenshot got put on displayed showing a money transfer of ten million yen. Another document popped up, this one looking like report or evaluation.

Look, all Ayano's got to reference is school essays. It's not like she ever made a resume or a tax reduction, whatever that shit is. What she does notice is that all of this shit is recorded to have happened before school even started for her.

This file appears to be a direct mission report by the Nemesis Organization, instructing a top tier agent with skills in espionage and flawless disguises. It throws in a few key names on who to disguise as, one of those names is Ayano Aishi.

Again, with absolute genuine emotion that would impress the Theater Club, Ayano softly says, "Holy shit."

"Miss Saikou," the adult in the room began, "Your father sent an assassin to this school?"

It appears that Megami is on mute. Her mouth is moving rapidly and she's now reaching out to stuff off of screen to fix her connection.

"See, you see right there?" Ayano points at the screen, "This type of bullshit is at its limit. I'm getting accused of murder while this James Bond shit is happening right under our noses. What tomfoolery is going on?"

Megami's mic is no longer mute as she screams, "Tomfoolery!"

"I think that is something that you'd say on a day to day basis."

"Alright," Miss Kunahito leans back in her chair, "this opens up a new possibility." Ayano keeps looking between Megami and the counselor. She can't help but twitch about as subtly as she can by constantly moving. Her heart is racing as she hopes that Miss Kunahito says what she thinks she's saying. "Whatever crime we think Ayano could commit could've been an imposter all this time."

"No! The dates have been tampered with! They happened only months ago!"

"Megami, are you admitting to knowing these documents beforehand?" Ayano gasps out, probably not as genuine, because she's being a little piece of shit right now.

"Girls please, this is a serious matter. Murder in fact, we're talking about the murders of children." Miss Kunahito had a dreadful look take over her face as she rethinks her life. "From everything that has happened I can conclude that both of you two are dangerous to this school. And while I cannot pin down the exact technicalities as of right now, I can suspense both of you and revoke any privileges as a student of this school." She casts a glance at Megami, "When I discuss this with the principle there will be a likely chance that he'll do nothing to displease your father," she turns to Ayano, "nor would he alert the police. As I mentioned, nothing will leave this room unfortunately."

Ayano said, "Yeah, I'm okay with a suspension."

On the other hand, Megami was still furious, "This cannot be! I will gladly come forth and show my father's crimes. I don't care for that man; I care for this school and the students!" She slammed a fist on her desk and it could be the screen's quality or Megami could be crying. "This school is all I have. Please don't take it away from me."

Damn, this got really deep, Ayano thought. She really wants to leave the room and avoid this.

Miss Kunahito looked away from the crying girl, too ashamed of herself because of the fucked up system she works under. Even Ayano is empathizing if she thinks about it.

Here's an adult stressing in a life style that invokes neglecting children's care. And here's a girl that's losing everything she worked on.

Okay maybe the word is sympathizing for Ayano because all she can think is damn, this is so sad. Somebody play that Spanish song the Music Club's been playing all week.

And then while this sadness mellows out, Ayano notices something happen outside the window.

It was barely noticeable a first as this interrogation went down but know with the heat off of her, Ayano recognizes a grey fog growing outside.

The fog grows heavier and denser by the second and Ayano doesn't spare Miss Kunahito a glance as Ayano runs over to the window, slamming it open to test the fog.

Sure enough it's like punching a sponge. Unlike the last time Ayano encountered this fog, the area she punched bleeds into a dark grey and black and it encloses around her fist. Ayano tugs at it but it has a tight clasp on her. She barely hears Miss Kunahito question this as suddenly the black cloud holding her turns white and snaps Ayano to the other side of the room with the tension of a rubber band.

Ayano's head knocked against the door, giving her a big headache. She barely comprehends that the laptop is glitching out, Megami's distorted yells adding to rumbling that's happening to Ayano's world.

[]

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The kingdom is coming.

The gates are opening.

The new rebirthed god is bleeding.

Kaga doesn't mean to be… religious or whatever, poetic at worse, as he watches this scene.

But a flair for the dramatics can be useful as he helps a demon prepare for the end of the world.

The demise and rumble of his secret lair is salvageable from the latest batch of Midori clones cleaning up over the past few days. It's not perfect but he has done more with less. So far the labs are the most destroyed so Kaga and his guest are on his private levels away from the testing grounds and the Midori quarters.

Besides, its only use will be shelter when this shit begins. He's glad he has a nonelectric failsafe and lock system.

He's watching Oka stand in the middle of his study with one of her demonic arms drawing inky blood in circles all around her.

"Are you done yet?" Kaga taps his foot impatiently.

 _"No,"_ it said. It positioned Oka to be floating with her arms outstretched, like she's welcoming someone with a hug. This would've been a since thing to image but her face was all wrong, there was no light of life in her eyes and blood is dripping from her arms.

He wonders how she's handling all of this. He just has to believe that in due time, everything will go to plan.

There's only been a couple blood drops falling on the floor and yet that little amount spends into a full circle underneath her. The demon arms have just finished drawing five large circles touching the perfectly even puddle of blood. It then places a lit candle in each one.

The demon speaks in its native tongue, screeching white noise that physically scratches into his brain.

Kaga felt woozy and realized his nose was bleeding.

"Your blood smells delicious," is spoken with Oka's mouth. Yet the unholy chanting continues.

He risks stepping closer to her, trying to spot where the demon's voice is coming from as it is still in control over Oka's body. "I'll be honest I never heard that pick up line before. Does that one work where you're from?"

Oka's mouth forms a thin smile, "You are intelligent but you are not wise, child."

Yes because he has intelligence as his highest skill and his wisdom is at its lowest. Kaga wipes away another trail of blood slimming down his nose. "I am what I set my mind to and right now, I'm assisting you."

"And you're a great help indeed but I think you need to pull up your own weight. Just because you created these empty vessels doesn't mean you're the one doing the real work." As previously ordered, there's a line of Midori clones standing in front of each outer circle with an open cut arm. "After all if you're going to prove yourself to your sin, you have to earn it yourself."

"My sin," he chuckled, "I wouldn't phrase it like that."

"Correct, it is your family's sin," the Oka body grinned at him, "Like I said, you'll have to earn it."

A demon hand gently caressed the small flame of each candle, letting it crawl into the palm as it is raised up high. The sandpaper language is still rubbing at Kaga's head, nicking the nerves behind his eyeballs. He can't help but watch, too fascinated at the sight of a shadow spilling out of Oka's arms, shifting over to the demonic arms and all the way to the fire in hand.

The slimy darkness consumes the fire to form a sphere and that's when the demon's voice finally ends its symphony.

Everything rumbles, the lab begins to shake violently and Kaga has to be caught by a nearby Midori right when he falls. His computers on the walls start to glitch out in multiple colors, sizzling with electricity.

Finally at the peak of the shaking, the fire orbs of shadow blood get crushed like an egg by each hand and spills into the circle below. Each one splats to the floor and instantly it swirls into a whirlpool, dipping into the floor and… and… and when the spinning vortex reaches the edge of the circle the demon and Oka shout something at the same time.

Per usual, the demon speaks in incoherence while Oka shouts, _"ENTER!"_

Out of each circle arise shadows of monsters and creatures of all shapes and sizes. Each one touches the open wound of a Midori and sinks into that slip of skin.

The Midori clones affected don't look too different except that their open cut closes with a shadow patching up the skin. They leave the room, to the surface level.

And then the next five clones repeat the process.

And the next - repeat

And the next - repeat

And the next - repeat

END END _END_ **END** OF WEEK **WEAK** **_WEAK_** 3 2 1 0

* * *

 _This has been a challenging chapter to write. Even more so when I say that there will be a definite hiatus for the final week 4 finale I got planned. Like I probably mentioned somewhere, I really want to finish this story. That said, there would be a sporadic timing on when I'll post the final weekend interlude._

 _Thanks for reading, I'm so happy to share this story! And even more excited to finish it!_

 _Next Chapter: The Final Weekend Interlude: Some Terrible Days_


	17. Some Terrible Days

The outside world doesn't know the truth. News broadcasters claim that it's a dangerous terrorist taking the school as hostage and that the police is doing everything they can.

It's better this way because hey, who would believe something inhumane is at works here?

Hell, even the real police aren't involved. After all, no one trusted them after the murder case from 80s so it's only logical that experts handled this case.

He fought tooth and nail and begged for this information and the boss gave him mercy. Against their better judgment, they just had to know what was happening at Akademi High School and who were the private investigators waltzing into their territory.

He picked up a police jacket and headed to the security barrier the investigators set up. The police forces' only contribution to this was civilian crowd control, keeping the people as calm as possible and away from the school. It's not very useful honestly; the press hoarding around them can still see the dark foggy mass that was once a school. His clearance papers and badge were accepted as he passed through, ignoring the pestering reporters and hiding his face the best he could with the police cap.

He's just another face in the crowd without his usual, professional attire and a police uniform only makes him more inconspicuous. No one truly cares for the police nowadays; they're all just a follower and a gun. He too is just that, only on the other end to the spectrum.

The investigation team set's up camp in the sports field, away from the prying eyes of reporters and policemen and in a safe distance from the fog. He walked towards the black van that's set up to be the investigators' headquarters, his jacket folded neatly over his arm.

There's no need to be in sheep's clothing. His arms bare the scales of a dragon.

Surprisingly, none of the investigators, the six patrolling outside at least, stops him from knocking on the car doors. They watch him and that's it. No alerting the police or worse, killing him off before he could get a word to their lead investigator.

The door opens and he's greeted to the scowling face of a young woman with red, tired eyes.

"Am I supposed to know you?" She glares at him, paying no mind to his tattoos.

"If you did, I would fail in my line of work," he said.

She crossed her arms, "More like die in you line of work. You came walking in here expecting cooperation."

"I believe everyone needs a little help in life and from what I heard," he takes a casual step forward, knocking on the van too, "that _Thing_ is more than anyone can handle."

She scowls at him, "Why would we work with the likes of you?"

"One organized crime to another," said the yakuza to the spy, "You need all the help you can get."

The spy stares at him, blank like a cheap canvas, and she raises her middle fingers. She slowly backwards walks into the van, leaving the door open. Inside he sees a wall full of screen monitors, each one watching a section of the fog proximity, a desk, and two chairs.

She still has her middle fingers up at him, staring.

The yakuza will take this as an olive branch. He enters the van and shuts the door behind him. At least there's a chair for him, he almost expected this lady to make him sit on the floor. Finally she stops her disrespect and returns her attention to their job.

"So, what should I call you?"

"Hmm," she taps her chin, "Well since there's other agents around, you'll refer to me as Captain Nemesis."

"Alright, Crappy."

Nemesis takes a deep breath like one of his brothers snorting down that white powder shit on a bad day. Maybe he should lay off, he knows what's she's going through.

"You said you'll help, how?" She points to the screens, "Nothing can penetrate the fog. Everything that touches it gets flung back at least ten feet back. We can't catch a sample of it, it simple won't leave the mass."

"No way in. No way out."

"Yep," Nemesis plops her head's weight on a hand, slouching over the table. Her other hand is underneath the desk. "Not even gases can breech it."

The yakuza quirks an eyebrow at her and looks to the screen. From what he knows, otherworldly beings are fits the Nemesis Organization's quota, the main reason other groups leave them and similar fantasy nuts alone. This wasn't his playing field but he has to be here.

"Will electricity do anything?"

She shakes her head, "Don't get me started. These guys absolutely hate technology and it's rendered useless. There's no phone signal or electric wave coming from the inside. It's just a dead zone in there."

"But that's what's inside. I'm thinking we test electrical weaponry on it and maybe something can get in." As they brainstorm ideas, he can't help but believe that Nemesis already considered every possible thing and is just testing his intellect, all the while one hand is hidden from view.

And finally she pops the question, "So why were you sent here? I thought that international crime syndicates didn't get involved with my side of the worlds."

"This isn't business," he said, casually placing his hands on the desk, a clear sign that he's not doing anything suspicious. "This is personal."

There's no hint of a surprise from Nemesis, "Your brother."

"You've been in there." A small smug pride in him flared up when her careful nonchalant face had a brief look of murder. "How's he been?"

"Still in his delinquent crew, still a follower to an alpha, much like you," she said with edge.

"I'm working on that. At his age, at this school no less, doing illegal stuff is like a sign of rebellion to the world in his eyes. But it's not, it's all survival." He doesn't mind saying this information to her. He's digging here. This has to be more than a simple job to her to be so involved. "Kids these days, am I right?"

"They were all a pain in the ass," Nemesis groaned. "I don't know how caretakers do it. They just say the stupidest things and do the most stupid things! I still can't believe she's a terrible liar after all the murders she's committed. She's dangerous but so incompetent at the same time! And then there's also this other girl and she's got the nerve to continually harass me and touches my stuff! I can't believe I almost wanted to work with her!"

It's pretty endearing to see Nemesis unwind like this. She's just complaining about the main group of students she's been with and they sound like a real interesting bunch of chemical explosions. Nemesis keeps going on and raging about one particular girl, the one she almost requited.

"And just yesterday I got an alert that she stole my files again!"

"Yeah, this shit happens when you care about a teenager."

Nemesis quirk draws her handgun from under the desk, pressed against his temple. He half expected this to happen.

She replies coolly, "I don't care about her."

"Could've fooled me but you let your guard down around her way too many times. Sure you've been testing her hacking skills but you could've stopped after the first time." The yakuza shifted in his seat to properly face her. Now the gun barrel is touching his forehead.

"I," she proclaims as a high position, "am a persistent tester."

"You care about this kid, there's nothing wrong with that."

"I fucking know that," she pulls back the gun, finally done with this attempt at a power move. "I just can't mess this up. This is my mission and I'm responsible for everything here."

He nods, "This is a risky decision, our lives and children screws with morality more often than not."

"The higher ups of Nemesis didn't like this plan either," she grumps, gun still in hand as she crosses her arms. "But I convinced them to give me the lead. Now look at where this has ended."

The unchanged monitors on the fog reflect on her face, grey and drained of everything.

"It's all or nothing, Captain. That's how you protect your people in this world."

Captain Nemesis stood up and placed her gun in her belt holster. She puts out a hand for him, "Then let's get to work."

They shake hands.

WE EK WEAK END **_END_** – INTER LU DE ENTER IN INTERLUDE

* * *

 _I am a sucker for the Yakuza. Like, it's the anti-hero vibe where he's capable of dark shit and will do it in order to do what he defines as good._

 _We're entering the end game. Meaning, a long break._

 _Also I've been doing additional commentary on my tumblr blog: katcadecascade_ _and I'll be posting my writing progress on there._

 _Thanks for reading!_


	18. The Wills

START

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OF OFF OF

WEAK

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ENTER IN TER LUDE END

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 **WEEK**

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 **FOUR**

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 **THREE**

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 **ONE**

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 **ZERO**

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 _Recording Start – [00:00:01]_

The person being recorded holds the camera with shaking hands due to the fact that she's on the brink of tears. She has her head propped onto her knees with her brown hair askew and scruffy.

Crumpled up in her hand is an orange and pink tinted flower.

Her eyes hold an unsettling amount of dread as she frowns at the camera. With a heavy sigh, she closes her eyes and hides her face, curling into herself.

A wail is cut off.

 _Recording End – [00:00:09]_

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 _Recording Start – [00:00:01]_

"And we are recording," is chirped by the phone holder. Her light tone is very out of placed in the chaotic styled room. There's multiple chairs pressed against the door with one big table knocked sideways for added strength.

The camera is turned to view the other members of the room; specifically it is recognized as the luncheon kitchen. One girl, her long pink hair shabbily braided, is at the wide window for serving students, she's currently enforcing the lock for the mental plating that acts as their barrier to the low, screeching static noise beyond.

"We're lucky to be here," a boy walks pass the viewpoint but it's clear to see his spiky, ruffled hair and skewered glasses. "Ryuto start piling up the canned goods. Mai," the girl at the plated window looks away from her work, "how's the lock?"

"Pretty good from what I can tell but the plating is what worries me," she presses a hand to it. "I'm not sure if it can endure much brute force."

"Then that means we can't stay for long." The frame pans over to their leader. He's currently at the fridge, free of any hum of electricity. "I think everything here is already spoiled by the smell of it." He reaches inside to gather all the water bottles in a trash bag.

And then the static noise ups its volume as the phone whips back to the plated window, just in time to record Mai take a step away before something dented the metal inwards in a fist shape mold.

"Pippi," she calls out, looking at not the phone but the person holding it before another punch is all it takes to wreck the metal plating and a gnarly hand reaches for her.

"Mai!" The phone is disregarded, dropped even, and clattered to the floor. All it captures is darkness as the sounds of desperation continue.

The two girls are screaming each other's names, mindless to the static roaring at them.

"We gotta run!" The boy that led them from the start urged.

"But Mai, we can't!" Another boy, Ryuto, stresses out his concern and a heavy clang of tin cans rattles with him. His voice traveled quickly from one direction to the source of the two girls screaming, followed with him are Gema's footsteps too.

Mai's voice shifts from sobbing to screaming.

Pippi yells, "Let her go!"

Another groan of metal bending is heard as Mai screams. Only the ears of a camera can pick up that she's moving away from the audio receiver, inch by inch.

"Just go, Pippi!" Mai cries, "Please, just run away!"

"I'm not leaving you!"

Mai wails, sobbing once more, "Gema, Ryuto, keep her safe."

"No, no!" Pippi continues screaming, her pain is barely heard over the static. Eventually she's shouting at the boys, "No, let me go!"

The two sources of crying are moving away from each other until only the distance noise of static remains.

And then nothing but silence and the absence of light is recorded by the phone.

It stays like that for a long time.

 _Alert: 20% Batter Life._

Nothing interferes with the camera. Simply silence and without warning –

 _Recording End – [-:-:-]_

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 _Recording Start – [00:00:01]_

A blonde boy sighs, his face close to the camera, "Okay, all recording functions appear to be… functioning."

"Yeah, that's a good thing," another boy said from out of frame, his voice is wavering, shaggy even due to nervousness. "Are you sure about this?"

"Completely," the blonde boy said. His serious tone and stoic face is the void of any lazy or aloof attitude he may have possessed before. He signs again, "Let's start this for real."

 _Recording End – [00:00:17]_

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 _Recording Start – [00:00:01]_

The camera view is shaky and the lighting is blinking on and off in a key-smash of morose code.

A blonde boy is stood in frame. Behind him is an open window with a thick grey fog that doesn't leak through, as if contained in its own space. His hair is a wild mess and there's exhaustion expressed by his tired eyes and frown. "This is, I guess technically, test one. Sure, the rest of us have done other escape attempts but Uekiya and Kokona has tasked us, the Photography Club to be the ones in charged." He looks down at his feet, "Out of all of our escapes, half of us got caught by… _them_." He said that last word with bitter scorn, his glare shifted over to something behind the camera.

"Fureddo?" A light feminine voice called to him.

He quickly sent a quick smile of reassurance to the off-screen girl and looked back to the camera. "We talked to all the remaining students and collected a lot of notes about our situation." Fedduro picked up a spiral notebook from a table. It's filled with extra papers and stick notes as he flips through to near the end of it. Fureddo doesn't flinch when the lights are cut off. The dim glow of the fog is the only source of illumination.

"The most important thing to note is how our phones, cameras, and possibly other small devices are still working for one important reason. Although no Wi-Fi or cellular data or signal is working. Itachi figured this thing out when he kept running head first into the fog. As expected, the fog flung him right back into the room."

He glanced back up when the girl from earlier voiced, "I also heard that he forgot to clear away the broken glass on his first tries."

Fureddo lowly said a long, "Oh."

The cameraman added, "Zoinks. That explains the cuts Nurse Muja scolded him over."

"Okay, basically, what happened was this," Fureddo nodded to the cameraman who holds up something over the lens. It refocuses to view a Saikou phone, specially its 41% battery life icon. Then it is promptly tossed to Fureddo who barely fumbles the catch and, hot potato styled tosses it to through the window besides him.

Zooming to the window, it is clear to see the fog envelope the phone with a black cloud, barely seeing the outline of the phone, then it quickly shades into a sharp white, a glow even compared to the surrounded grey, and the phone is snapped back inside with an unparalleled inertia.

The cameraman even had to hastily side step away from the shot even though the phone was skidding on the ground by the time it reached him. He picks it up, no skid marks are dented due to its industrial quality but that's not the featured thing to note. The battery icon reads 100% battery life.

"As you can see," the camera does a hard pan up to Fureddo, "the fog super charges our phones. I chalk it up to all the electricity in the school has gone into the fog itself. So when Itachi failed his heroic jumps, the phone in his pocket overheated due to its sudden absorption of electrical surges." He gave a look to his notebook and back to the camera with a shrug. "That's all I got with our collective attempts at escaping this apocalypse."

Someone, a girl with dark brown hair and glasses casually walks into frame, and flips through the notebook and points at a page. "We could, oh I don't know, record our defensive tactics on surviving here."

"Right, thanks Beruma," he nods walks around the cameraman, pivoting to film him. "Like she said, our defense against them is our charged up phones." Once again the camera zooms tightly to see many phones lined up against the wall. All are Saikou brand and Fureddo pokes one to show off its fully charged battery icon.

"To be perfectly honest, we have no idea why our phones ward them off. The more fog-charged phones, the better but it works better as a barrier than as armor. Like it's all more effective staying still rather than running with them."

Beruma adds, "It might be radiation that bothers _them_ but we'll never really know."

"And we may never know too!" The other boy, the cameraman, says, awfully chipper, "Maybe that's a good thing. We can confidently say that this is a case we cannot solve."

"That's right," agreed another boy. He has an odd pronunciation of adding a rough 'R's to his words.

The camera zooms out in time to see Fureddo's eye rolls, "This case. Yeah, okay, Rojasu, Sukubi, you're both right. Nobody has any idea why we crossed into the Twilight Zone with this bullshit fog and multiple Midori's attacking and dragging us away."

"We did try to reach to the Occult Club but," a girl says but she trails off with a sad tone.

"Dafuni and I couldn't find them," Beruma said, "We asked Asu to help us but this was before we figured out the phones wards."

Fureddo gulps and stares at the camera, "Alright gang, we got a mystery on our hands. We may not get all the answer but we are going to figure a way out of here."

 _Recording Start – [00:06:02]_

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 _Recording Start – [00:00:01]_

"I once thought," is muttered by a girl with dark hair streaked with red, "my final performance would be to a god, whether from above or below." She blinks slowly at the camera but her eyes are looking through it. Also it appears that she's lying on the floor, holding the camera up.

"Did you eat another weed brownie, Miyuji?"

"No," she said without a hint of deceit, then the camera tilts to get a clear shot of a water tank where a brownie piece sinks to the bottom, "Mr. Jazzy Feet said that we shouldn't eat them."

A small green turtle swims into shot. It is hard to tell from this angle and from the grainy quality of the dark lit room but it appeared that the creature winked to the camera.

" _...What?"_

 _Recording End – [00:00:18]_

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 _Recording Start – [00:00:01]_

"What the hell are you going, Musume?"

The camera view, unintentionally, must be so, is upside down, its angle close to the floor implying that it is set upon the wall. A girl is walking slowly pass a line of sinks and broken mirrors. She's not caution as her shoes crush the broken glass and ceiling pieces. The only light source is a glow of grey from a high window of this restroom and because of that it's hard to make out the faces hiding behind shuddering knees and arms.

Their vibrating movement is not shared with the girl, holding her head high. The top of her blond-bleached hair is highlighted with the little light angled at her. Her back is only shown to the camera but the dirty, broken mirror next of her barely reflects her blank, expressionless face.

The same voice from earlier snapped at her again, "Musume get the fuck back here!"

"Shush, be fucking quiet, Kashiko," another girl hisses.

"Musume," Kashiko continues, her volume lowered, "sit back down. You're going to get us all caught."

It's only because of how quiet the restroom is, Musume's faint words was heard. "I don't care anymore."

There's a shape intake of breath and a few others peak over their shaking knees to stare fearfully at her.

"What?" Kashiko raises her voice, "You cannot be serious right now."

Musume shifts her body to face them, her eyes dull with colorful makeup smeared all over her tanned cheeks.

"Kashiko, Hana, Hoshiko, Kokoro." There's a certain hallow ache as she says those names, looking into the eyes belonging to them. "You don't care about me. Why should I care about me? None of you, hell no one cared to wonder why I can't hold a pencil straight anymore. When I started asking one of you to do my makeup for me, none of you genuinely questioned why. No one here gave a damn to ask why I'm no longer acting like myself because I know you all hate me for being a bully."

She says it all slowly and deliberately, like she thought over this new philosophy over and over.

"We didn't," different aforementioned girl beings, hesitant and shaky, "we just thought it was something that'll blow over or you'll deal with it yourself."

"I honestly thought it was a bad trip," another girl said, all too bluntly.

"Really?" Musume scoffs, the first real jerk of facial expression forms with a disbelieving angry frown. "What kind of drug would make me tremble and jump at everything, Kokoro? What drug would make pretend that everything is normal and alright when I now fear that I'll get kidnapped again?"

Her frustrations grew loud. The whispers of static are noted in the lowest of decibels.

"Again?" One girl whispers while another echoes, "Kidnapped?"

There's a harsh twitch of Musume's head as she glares at the four girls. Her tremors she controlled so well returned and now Musume Ronsharku is the embodiment of constant fidgeting movement.

"None of you dared to even show concern over me!" She yells, pulling at her blond hair, a few hair extensions are ripped out. "I got kidnapped and threatened all for my dad's money. And the worst part of it all, he expects me to pretend that everything is normal! We don't need to spend a dime on therapy. We don't have to pull me out of such an elite school. We don't have to do anything to make me feel safe."

Musume caves in; her body curling into herself as taking less space would make her less of a target. No one interrupts her quavering, loud speech. No one dares to stop her even as static approaches.

"And you four, the people I hang out with every day don't do a damn thing to show that your care or concern over me. We aren't friends. We're just bullies with the same motive. We just love to be an alpha bitch, to torment others for power. And here we are, where it doesn't matter because we're all going to die here," Musume, still hugging her shaking body, turns back around, facing the doorway out. "Why delay it any longer. No one cares about me, not my dad, not you cunts, not this school or anyone else, and now I don't have any reason to care about me."

The white noise of scratchy tingles, its mixture of low hums and high screeches is roaring. It's joined with the sound of a stampede.

Musume hollers out, "Hey, you green bitches! Come and get me!"

Then everyone in the room joins the noise, realizing too late that they could have talked her down to silence, to have a few more minutes to live. Now there's only seconds before they die.

The girls and boys hiding in the room are now sobbing. They gave up.

Before Musume could walk to her death, four bodies rush to her, grapping her arms. It's difficult to decipher whatever they say to Musume from the static and the wails.

Nonetheless, Musume struggling against them, screaming, "I want to die!"

And then someone runs into the room as Musume repeats her desires. That someone has purple hair in loose, mangled twin curls and she slaps Musume's face.

"Alright, we don't have time for this," the newcomer announces and quickly looks around the room. "Umeji, we got injured," and a blond boy is right behind her and instantly goes over to help someone, "everyone follow me and Saki! Osoro can't fight them off forever!"

"Let's move people!" A girl yells from the hallway and the remaining students get up and run out the room. The boy, Umeji is in the back of the pack carrying a boy in his arms. Musume is no longer leaning to get close to the door. She's planting her feet firmly and still thrashing against the girls clinging on.

The girl leading the rescue wastes no time and grabs Musume by her shirt collar, hauling their faces close up. "You will not die here, not today. Whatever you think you deserve, it doesn't matter because you will live to spite all the bad days you have." She lets go and this time, Musume willingly lets her friends usher her out.

Eventually the commotion outside is heard far away as the static lingers.

And then it enters the room.

It walks like a human girl, it bruises like a human girl, but it is not a human girl.

Aside from the disheveled green hair, it has an open wound on its arm and the muscle there is colored black. In fact a smoky haze is fixated to the gash, not like smoke, it doesn't fade away. It clings to the girl.

The whites of her eyes are also colored with darkness, as they scan the room with a scowl. There's white noise emitting from the sole thing in the room, it grows louder when the mouth gaps open and it erupts as a roar. At the edge of the cut, the skin is peeled back, exposing more of the skin as the blackness physically leaks out and travels up and down the arm.

It trails an odd, ancient design of symbols across the skin as a fist is clenched and slams down the row of sinks. Bulky pieces are knocked out and stomped upon as the body thrashes about.

In the midst of this rage, with all the broken mirrors getting punched through the walls, pieces of debris and flung carelessly around.

It all happens to the point where one piece of wall is promptly ripped out and thrown towards the phone, way too fast with a lot of force, and-

 _Recording End – [-:-:-]_

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 _Recording Start – [00:00:01]_

It's dark and not the best quality as the camera is aimed straight down at someone's scuffed up shoes. There's multiple dots sprinkled on that may or may not be blood. The person takes the slowest of steps before the frame is rattled unexpectedly.

"Saki," hissed by a boy, whispering his shout, "what are you doing? Only the presidents are doing the recordings."

"I know, I know but look Taro," the camera pans over to the other side of the room.

Sleeping bodies are scattered around as comfortable as can be on wooded floors. The person in the middle of the shot has long orange hair, a bit matted and tangled. She has one arm outstretched while the other is in an acute angle, the elbow propped over her nose.

The camerawoman, Saki, is cackling as quietly as possible, "Osana fell asleep dapping."

It takes a moment for the boy, Taro, to share his giggles.

 _Recording End – [00:00:47]_

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 _Audio Recording Start – [00:00:01]_

"-fuck is this?" The boy said.

"Why would you press the button? You should never press the button of some fucking thing you don't know!" The other boy doesn't raise his voice exponentially high but enough for his frustration to make its point.

"…I thought it was a fidget cube at first."

"It's not even a cube Dairoku," he said in disbelief with rising anger but he snorts. "Okay fine, I get that you miss your fidget spinner but whatever that thing is ain't a toy."

The audio receiver picked up their soft and swift footsteps.

A third set of footsteps join them, "Hey, food's been delivered to the last group." There's a deep exhale, "But another group is missing."

"Any signs of a fight?"

"All the phones are gone. They might have made a run for it."

The foot falls continue their quiet run. It's the only sound the receiver picks up.

"Dairoku, what are you holding?" The third voice asked, "Is this a delinquent thing?"

"We don't fucking ask if volunteering for ration runs when we could die in any moment is a Sports Club trait, Unagi."

"Also let's talk back at base," stressed the other delinquent.

The silence and footsteps continue, occasionally a dissonance of static is heard and the trio quicken their pace. They don't lose their motivation until there's a shuffling of a door for them to slide into.

"Are y'all good?" A tried girl checks as the door and other various objects are restacked together.

"Sho's group is missing," Unagi reports and it's heard less as the receiver is moved.

Two sets of footsteps indicate they're walking as far away as possible as the other delinquent muttered, "I think I know where I saw this thing before." The audio receiver picked up a small tap on its microphone. "Hana Daidaiyama had a few when she walking passed the incinerator this one time."

"…you were staring at her legs weren't you?"

"She may be a total bitch but she's hot."

"I hate your taste in girls, Gaku."

"And I hate your taste in boys."

"Okay let's not do this right now," Dairoku says with a slight squeak in his voice. "Let's find Hana. She's in this room right?"

They walk more, passing by huddle conversations, someone's growling stomach, snores, cries, and someone consoling another.

They walk pass all of that and stop at a callous and unfriendly, feminine voice, "What?"

"Do you know what this thing is?" The receiver notes its microphone is pressed, muffling their words a bit.

"Why would I," she begins with a snappy attitude but she deflates. Hana clicks her tongue, "Fine, whatever, it's like a spy plant or a listening device or whatever."

"It's a recording device. How you know about it?"

Gaku asks, shocked, "More importantly, why are you not acting like a bitch?"

"Maybe because I'm fucking tired and scared of getting killed and," she huffs up, stopping herself. "Look, my friends and I, we are basic bitch and bullies yet Kokona helped Musume out her panic attack. I just," she pauses, "I don't know any more."

There's a silence.

Then Gaku said, "You're tired of the mask you wear, scaring others to give yourself power."

"No dipshit," she said dryly and then quietly, sure of herself, "The moment I realized I might die, I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity for _someone_ to get their revenge on me."

Gaku choked on whatever words he could ever respond to that.

"Anyway, yep that's a recording thingy and I know because I planted a few around the school to get cigarettes. Anything else you want to know?" No response, "Good now leave me alone."

The boys walk away.

"Dude," Dairoku said, "She's a bully and she has her own issues. And from what I heard, all the other bullies have cooled it after Musume's broke down."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you just said that you're tired of your mask."

He doesn't respond for a bit until they reached a quiet spot in the crowded room. "What are you going to do with the plant now?"

"Hmm," Dairoku mused. "I got an idea for the boss."

"Really, well if you think it'll work and, wait. Shit is this recording?"

Dairoku says, "I have no fucking clue on how this works."

 _Audio Recording End – [00:19:39]_

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 _Recording Start – [00:00:01]_

The camera is eerily still considering there's a thumb slightly blocking the left side of the phone's lens. Other than that, it's a close shot of an aquatic tank with a tiny turtle swimming around.

"Miyuji, you cannot just stare at Mr. Jazzy Feet for the rest of the Armageddon."

"Fucking watch me."

It remains like this for… a long time. There's some shuffling of footsteps occasionally in the background and still, Miyuji holds the camera. Mr. Jazzy Feet drifts slowly through his tank.

There's a knock and a muffled, "Food delivery!"

More shuffling noises, someone says thanks and the creaking groan of bulky objects is heard as it slides stiffly across the floor.

"Alright and we got," a girl begins with a happy tune, ruffling with plastic, "bread, again."

"It's like majority of what's left now that we ran out of fruit," another girl said, loudly munching on her carbohydrates.

"We don't know that. I'm sure Nurse Muja's got everything handled."

"Actually it's Gema who's in charge of rations," Miyuji said. She lightly presses a finger to the tank, leaving behind a smudge finger print. Mr. Jazzy Feet swims over to it, his head bobbed against the barrier.

Footsteps approach her and a saranwrap bread loaf is jutted in front of the lens. "Eat."

Miyuji sets the phone against the tank, not bothering to check its bad angle of being pressed to the glass. It refocused to stare at the dirt flittering in the water and then there's a large crumb of bread sinking down.

Mr. Jazzy Feet glides down to nimble it.

"You do this every time. He's not even out of turtle food."

"It just feels right, Kiba."

"Alright," Kiba said and a second bread crumb joins the water. Mr. Jazzy Feet nudged his food into a pile. "Fucking superb, you funky little green boi."

"Amen to that," Miyuji added.

Mr. Jazzy Feet looked at the two girls and blinked.

Suddenly there's a small glow from behind the camera, casting a shine onto the turtle but it gone the next second.

The turtle returns to his food.

The girls are silent.

"Miyuji," Kiba said softly, "our bread is suddenly toasted and buttered?"

"Yep," she pops, "fucking superb."

Kiba grits through her teeth, "Miyuji, what the fuck."

"Don't look at me. I'm just as confused as you but," Miyuji chomps her bread, "I'm starting to put things together."

 _Recording End – [01:08:08]_

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 _Recording Start – [00:00:01]_

"This is a waste of time," declared a red head with smudged glasses, looked straight into the camera. This time from the angle look up at the boy and the wooden desk in the foreground, the phone is propped up on the tabletop.

"Time is something we can waste, Geijiu." The speaker said, "Also you need to sit down for a bit, you're not looking so well."

"Are you kidding me?" He asks in a low angry voice. By now the camera has noted him swaying in his seat, sweat beading at his forehead, and his frantic blinking. And much like the last few people recorded, lack of sleep is highly noticeable. "I'm fine. Focus on the others."

A pale hand enters the frame, pressed against his forehead. "You're running a fever, I think." The person kneels down to him, making sure that he won't break the eye contact, "You've been giving your rations to the others."

"They need it more than me," the artist said.

The other person shakes her head, a small smile gracing her lips, "Listen to your nurse. You need to eat, especially the medicine we have."

"No, there are sicker student than me," he tries to argue. "We're already running out of food and now medicine and I can't accept any of it." It looked like he was going to say more but then Nurse Muja clasped her hands on his shoulders.

"Please, just for once, stop hating yourself."

Geijiu held her gaze but had a defeated, tired expression. "Can we… can we not do this therapy thing now?"

"I told you, we have time to waste." Nurse Muja gentle ruffled his hair, "Also I heard good news from Asu that they found more food." Next thing the camera picked up was her hand reaching over to it.

 _Recording End – [00:04:01]_

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 _Recording Start – [00:00:01]_

The camera is hastily shot at a girl's face. She looks angry.

"– possibly believe this?"

"I know, I know, Uekiya, this sounds super weird but we're telling you the truth!" The camera whips harshly to the left. It takes a while for the focus to take image of a blonde, tan girl covered in scratches and bruises.

Right next to her is another blonde girl, only her hair is longer and she has paler skin with scars. "As much as I like to blame that Asu's dehydrated, and she truly is, we saw the same thing. This time she isn't hallucinating."

"Oh come on!" The girl stomped, "I swear I saw Midori in the vents!" Asu looks over to the cameraman, "Budo, toss me a bottle." The camera didn't shift much as a half-filled water bottle is tossed at her. Star athlete Asu Rito misses the catch by a few inches, she remains unfazed. "I am fine."

The other blonde hands her the bottle and reports to Uekiya, "The one Midori that didn't attack us on our last supply run, she basically lead us to the storage closet where we found this," she single handedly lifts up a stuffed garage bag and pulls out a canned food. "Today, the Midori that watches our door didn't attack either. She is leading us to food drops."

"How and why?" Uekiya rubbed her eyes, "The multiple Midori's and the impassible fog are only linked together by how crazy they are." She crossed her arms and started passing, "Since this all started, they have been attacking us, dragging us away. We have no idea on what they want and now one of them is helping us?"

"Either this one wants us alive or," the scarred girl trailed off.

"Please don't be ominous Osoro." Asu then tips back her head to chug all the water in one go.

"Or," she reinstates importantly, "This one has gotten real smart is making us loose our guard."

"How do you know this has been the same Midori?" A new voice enters, cautious and thoughtful. Kokona walks over and examines the bag of canned goods.

"She had short hair," Asu said, capping up the empty bottle. She tosses it weakly off frame with an equally unenthusiastic, "Yeet."

"Anything else?" Kokona keeps her gaze to Osoro, ignoring the sad meme girl, "Have you ever fought her?"

Osoro, arguably the strongest girl for the human race that's stuck here, has all her bruises on displayed. Unlike Asu who's littered with bandage wrap, Osoro is the only one so far to come out of the hallways with no cuts or serious injuries as deemed by their nurse.

"No actually," she replies, her unease is shared with Kokona. "And if I think back correctly, she's the only one without a cut in her arm." They both furrow their eyebrows.

Uekiya had moved over to Asu, making her sit down because she was increasingly becoming wobbly on her feet. "What does this all mean?"

"We trust her," Kokona decides. "Asu, you should check in with Nurse Muja. Uekiya I think you should help her."

For the briefest of moments, Uekiya narrowed her eyes at Kokona. Then her expression softens with a quick exhale. "We can't just trust her."

"You're right," Kokona nodded. She looks over to the cameraman, "So I think we should get some answers."

By the small smirk and glint in her eyes, Osoro's the first one on board Kokona's train of thought. "Oh this will be fun."

"Oh god," Uekiya dragged her fingers down her cheeks, "Kokona you're last plan with Fedduro of all people caused a small explosion but this might be even _more_ dangerous!"

"We'll be safe!" Kokona promised, placing a reassuring hand on Uekiya's shoulder, "Um safer than last time."

 _Recording End – [00:04:36]_

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 _Recording Start – [00:00:01]_

"Just a few minutes, that's all it'll take, promise!"

The phone is utterly _shookith_ in clammy hands and there's the soft twinge of steel stings getting gripped.

This is the familiar and blurry sight of Miyuji Shan as she sets the phone on a nearby desk, angled to capture the guitarist and her band behind her, ready to play, Kokona is urged by Kiba to stand next to Miyuji by the turtle tank.

"Miyuji, we just got a major lead," Kokona has her hands balled up, "and it took way longer than Osoro and I thought but we have her now in the meeting room. She wants all of us presidents there before she talks and you're here ready to jam out."

The leader of the Strawberry Thieves lays a hand on Kokona's shoulder, "Please just trust me on this. We tested out a few songs already and none of the goons blasted the walls down. But I need you to see this, please."

Stress and nervousness alludes from Kokona but one look from Miyuji's hopeful smile has the purple haired girl smiling too. She holds their hands together with a nod and lets Miyuji do her thing.

Miyuji has her fingers fly across her guitar. Her band mates already on her rhythm as they all look at the water tank.

" _Everywhere surrounding me, choking me, grasping at my soul_ ," she sings loudly, having no need of amplifiers or speakers, _"Light cuts out, we're scattered about, lost inside the cold…_

 _"Atmosphere but I'm still here! No static can drown me out!"_

The rest of the band chorused with her.

 _"I'm with you in the dark. Even when I fall apart._

 _"I'm with you in the light. Against all the dangers in sight._

 _"Don't forget. I'm with you, I'm with you and…"_

Miyuji finishes up her guitar solo and hold her pic up high, panting after a short burst of music.

She says to her aquatic audience, "I give this song for you."

Mr. Jazzy Feet swims up to the glass and blinks at them.

A golden glow outlines each smiling band member. Right next to them, Kokona is wide eyed and gapping at them, pointing a finger between them and their pet turtle.

The sudden light with no logical source is dismissed but the Strawberry Thieves' still have their grins lighting up the dark room.

Kokona, awed, asked, "What the fuck? What's your turtle?"

Miyuji presses a finger to the tank where Mr. Jazzy Feet nudges his head as close as possible. "I still have no clue but he's been helping us out little by little. After we ran out of food, we've been giving him other gifts. In return he's been lighting us up and keeping the goons at bay."

"From what I understand," the bassist shrugged, "an exchange is affected only on each recipient and not a third party that did nothing."

"So this is why there's no static here. Thank you," Kokona gave the turtle a smile. She turned to Miyuji, "You too, we finally have a real hope to escape here."

"Really?" Miyuji raised a pumped fist to the air, "Yeah!"

"But first, we're getting some answers," Kokona declared.

 _Recording End – [00:02:19]_

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 _Recording Start – [00:00:01]_

Unlike the rest of the videos, there is light. Particularly there's Fedduro using his phone flashlight, aiming down at the girl currently bound by electrical extension cords. On her other side is Osoro with a black eye and she's clenching and unclenching her fists, keeping a careful watch on their guest.

The camera has a good angle to keep her in center as Kokona enters frame.

"I knew this couldn't be Uekiya's idea," the girl says with a small smile. "Kokona Haruka, you sure are ballsy."

"Midori," Kokona said slowly, "what the hell and how to we escape?"

Her short green hair barely brush pass her shoulders as Midori rolls her neck, cracking the joint. "We still can't."

"But you somehow got more food," Kokona countered and looked to someone else.

The camera shifts to center on Gema. He's slouching against the wall and to his left half of Asu's head is in frame since she's happily sitting on the floor.

"We've been here for," Gema quickly pulled out his phone, Asu tilts her head onto his arm and peers at it too, "about 153 hours and with the food supply we started with we should've ran out by day four. But thanks to you we got at least two more days of rations."

"My team check almost everywhere for food," Asu said. "We really couldn't find anything edible until you started helping us."

"Which means," the camera returned to Kokona, "you got food stashed here or you've gone outside."

Midori clicked her tongue, "It wasn't me. When I said we can't I really did mean _we_."

"What makes you different?" Midori looks to Osoro and in return the delinquent is deliberating something in her head. "You don't have a cut in your arm." To Kokona, Osoro said, "And her eyes don't look…"

"Demonic?" Midori guessed but the seriousness on her just feels out of place. "I asked for all the Club Presidents to be here. Well, all those who remain."

"Midori," Kokona gained her attention but often Midori held the gaze of someone behind the camera, "I just want to know how we can escape."

"I," she gulps, "The other Midori's are able to cross because of the cut in their arm but they are only willing to leave when the thing _in_ them wants to but _they_ don't want to. At least not yet."

Fedduro sent a confused and bewildered open mouth frown to the rest of the room.

Midori shook her head, probably because everyone else is blatantly confused, and said, "Fuck it. Okay so, the things trapping us all here are demons."

The only people in frame with Midori, the delinquent, the photographer, and the current leader of all the presidents, looked even more confused.

"Is this the Occult Club's fault?" Osoro even raised both her arms to add in her frustration.

Off of frame, Miyuji voiced, "I mean if it's demons."

"But why are there multiples of you?" Kokona asked.

"Clones," Midori extended the word for three seconds longer than necessary.

"We are faced with demons and clones." The camera slow pans to match the pace of the speaker, Geijiu. He and Uekiya are sitting in actual chairs behind the cameraman. Miyuji on the other hand is leaning on the backs of their chairs, her chin resting on top of Geijiu's head. His voice cracks, "Why?"

In one frame shot there's confusion but like with Osoro's realization it went away instantly, Uekiya sat a little straight and said with absolute certainty and dread, "Oka and Kaga are the ones responsible for this."

The camera is eerily still.

Miyuji emitted an awkward and uncomfortable noise matching her gritted teeth and horror stricken expression.

"This does not bode well," Geijiu said, also horrified.

"It's really not," Midori agreed.

Springing up, Miyuji pointed at the door, "No shit!"

"Shush!" Geijiu reached over to flick her nose.

In return she ruffled his red hair, "Don't worry about that." She then sang, _"No static can drown me out."_

Uekiya eyed the door oddly, "There _is_ no static so far."

Miyuji sent a wink to the camera and the cameraman, baffled asked, "What?"

"She's right," Kokona said, having the camera face her and Midori again. "If Oka's got demons then it's not unreasonable for us to have something powerful as well."

"What does that mean?" Osoro asked.

Fedduro looked up at the ceiling but from his wide eyed and slack jaw expression, he's concentrating on something else. He softly suggests, "God?"

Osoro opens her mouth to say something but shakes her head, clearly unwilling to call bullshit.

Midori joins Fedduro into staring into the great beyond that is their ceiling. She too softly speaks, "If so then I'm fucked."

"Okay enough on Miyuji's turtle," Kokona waved her arms in an 'x' motion but freezes when everyone raised a brow at her then to Miyuji. She points at Midori, "Back on track, how do we escape? Can another Midori break the fog from the outside?"

"I don't know about that," Midori said sincerely, "I'm not sure how exactly Midori can suppress the demon but they can only do it for so long before it takes full control."

Kokona tapped her chin, "And they can safely pass food through the fog. Have they held any electronics when passing?"

"No, why?"

She locks eyes with Fedduro. "We have to redo the experiment."

He nodded, "We're going to need _a lot_ more phones."

"Oh my god," Uekiya groaned and the camera whipped over to her just in time to see her with a totally done look. "Kokona, you know what, fuck it. This might work."

"We've got about seventy-four cell phones acting as barriers around the school," Gema is back in frame, reading a notepad. "If we gather everyone into one room we'll need twenty of them to protect the them."

Asu crossed her arms, "It's going to be very hard to escort every scatted group, let alone to one room."

There's a giant sigh and Fedduro's sad face is being filmed, "It took thirty phones to explode part of a wall, I don't think fifty or so would be enough."

"Explode?" Midori's eyes brighten up with a manic grin, "I can help with that. I'll have to grab some supplies from Kaga's lab though."

"No way," Osoro denied. "We're not going to just let you go alone."

A faceless voice said, "I'll go with her."

"Budo," she warns, concern in her eyes, but she's cut off.

"You're the strongest which means you're able to protect everyone as Asu leads them to the main room."

"He's right," Kokona lightly slammed a closed fist into her open palm. "We'll first focus on locating all the students and get them into one room as safe as we can. Osoro, we'll need you to lead your group and the Martial Arts Club to fight off the clones while Asu and her club lead them to Nurse Muja and collect the phones. Budo can handle Midori and her supplies. Once all everyone is together we can give Fedduro the phones he needs."

"Shouldn't I just take everyone to Mr. Jazzy Feet? Cause he won't let me move him or his tank."

"No, that might take too long and I think we're going to need bait the clones to the Photography Club's experiment."

Fedduro muttered, "Rojasu and Subuki aren't going to like the sound of that." He's ignored.

"But Miyuji, I do need you to take the delinquents, Martial Arts, and Sports Club to him though."

"Gotcha!"

"In the meanwhile the rest of us need to prepare the main room to shelter all of us, we'll break down walls to extend the room if we have to."

"This sounds like a good plan," Uekiya said. "Albeit our only plan. We can't wait for anyone outside to break us out."

"Totally," Midori squirmed in her bondage. "Can you untie me now?"

 _Recording End – [00:07:31]_

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Recording Start – [00:00:01]

"So all this time, you guys have been recording stuff?"

Midori holds the phone, capturing her face. She's using it as a mirror as she's combing her fingers through her short hair.

"Yep," Budo said. "When we figured out the phone thing Nurse Muja suggested we could use this as a therapy thing or for organizing our thoughts. Mostly we just do it just because. We can't really use any other entertaining app." He has his back to her, slumped over a table and from the camera angle, she sees him holding something.

"Why do you have an Info Bug?"

Budo fumbles the recording device, almost dropping it. Midori giggles at him. "I didn't realize, um. Osoro gave it to me. She thinks I'll have better use for it since she doesn't need it anymore."

"Is this about the councilor giving her beef all these months?" Midori moves over to sit beside him and sets the phone to view them both.

"Yeah but she told me that she doesn't need any explanation because it doesn't matter to her. All she needs is her friends." Budo stares at the little bug, frowning.

Midori poked his forehead, "I know you know the real truth behind all of this, or at least more than I've told the others. Is that why you're going with me? To confront Kaga?"

He pockets the bug and stares at Midori with a cold glare, "I trusted him. He's my friend and I can make an accurate guess to why he's doing all of this. He's gone way too to the point where I know this is more than his goal of world domination."

"Wow," Midori said, surprised, and then she looked relieved, "You really are his friend."

Budo attempts to hide his smile by rubbing a hand across his face. He takes a deep breath and askes, "His lab houses all the demonic clones, right?"

"Yep but don't worry, Kaga's got you covered."

Budo narrows his eyes but there's no disbelief. Instead there's a flicker of anger and it's out, instantly cooled by his level headedness.

He turns to the camera, determination and dread on his face. "My name is Budo Matsuda. If something happens to me, I want this message to be delivered to my Club and fellow Presidents. I love all of you guys. I'm going after Kaga because," Budo sighs and give out a small smile, "he's my friend and yes, I know more than I should and now I'm going to stop him."

Midori respectfully pounds a fist to where her heart should be, "Preach it."

Behind them the door slides open and their heads whip around to see the figure in the doorway.

"Budo," Ayano Aishi enters, "I'm going with you."

Midori looks back to the camera. She leans very close to take over the screen, winks, and whispers, "Cliffhanger!"

 _Recording End – [00:02:09]_

* * *

 _Welcome to Arc Four: The Wrong of this School_

 _Thanks for reading!_


	19. The Unwise

Everything is going according to plan and that very thought scares Kaga Kusha.

It means something is bound to go wrong. It kind of has to with this plan of combining two volatile and destructive variables together. Science and the supernatural don't really go hand in hand from the multiple warnings he received.

But his partner doesn't care, or in actuality, is counting on that sensitive trigger to explode their plans.

For all the chaos that is happening, the demon possessing Oka craves more. Its followers are craving for more. The Midori clones he made were not enough to satisfied or stall off their hunger to embody flesh.

Of course Kaga had a backup plan for that. It all depends on how Midori can bypass the demonic control. There's no working computer for him to monitor to see if everything is working. He just has to trust Midori has found a loophole in her minds.

Now for him, he's supposed to be patient, to let the demons have their fun. He's supposed to not interfere.

Yeah, Kaga went against all of the above.

If he timed this right then it's about to go down.

Kaga promised to stay in his main study of his labs, protected from the madness above. (That doesn't stop electrical null void of the demonic energy, nor bypassing the fog in the escape tunnels) Its intended purpose is to hold volumes of hard cover and paper backs of everything science, appearing like a mini library combined with an office workplace. But since this is Kaga there's an attached kitchenette for those days where he lives down here rather than his parent's manor. He just… it's just easier to get away until he has his reward.

But now it's the end game, his live-in study has proven its worth yet again now that he threw in a mattress and stocked up the kitchen.

None of the Midori clones has visited him in a while and as expected his laptop and any other techs are offline. The main light sources are his battery powered lanterns placed around the room. His securities measures are quite literally, lock and key. And then there's the deal of the demons leaving him and among others alive as long as Kaga cooperates.

There's a loud bang at his reinforced armored door.

Again, yeah, Kaga isn't exactly cooperating to the fullest extent of their plans.

Like a true gentleman, Kaga quickly hides the scandalous book he's studying back into the biology and autotomy bookcase and answers the door. The neutral and malnourish face of Oka Ruto greets him. For once she has her feet on the ground. He can't help but note that she is quite possibility the realest example for being dead on her feet.

Her dry chapped lips quirk up into a tiny smile but there's no acknowledgement in her eyes.

Kaga narrowed his eyebrows, "Are you attempting to be human?"

"Aren't you attempting to be not?" Her lips don't move. The voice is not hers.

"Touché."

"No," Oka's body steps in and before a finger is jammed into his chest, Kaga quickly back steps. "I'm genuinely asking. Aren't you attempting to change yourself? Are you not keeping your end of the deal?"

She stops till they're standing in the middle of the room. Oka still has a tiny meaningless smile and an accusing finger pointing at him.

"Well if you're asking, that means you doubt me." Kaga rolled his shoulders back, forcing himself to relax. "Alright, do your monolog."

From behind, a decayed hand taps Kaga's shoulder and it comically points its gnarled finger to the bookcases. There another interdimensional hand holds the book he was just reading.

On its spine are the arcane runes that Kaga has just barely begun translating. The previous owner, Supana Churu, simply told him that they are protection sigils. Clearly that meant it can't be open by a demon, not burn them upon touch like he had hoped.

The book is brought to Oka's own hand and she traces the golden script of its title, _Limitations of Demons._

"Just like your ancestor, you're planning my demise." Her fingers give one attempt to pry the book open but fails. "You're gathering your resources, decreasing my army with failing vessels, taking careful watch on who can help you, and keeping me away until you're ready to cut me out of her."

The two disembodied arms stay by Kaga's sides, their sharp nails barely grazing his coat sleeves.

Oka's smile grows by a centimeter. She hugs the book to her chest and leans her head closer to him. "But you're not ready. You need someone else to do the dirty work. That is Midori's purpose but she can't help you here. Instead you're harboring the Occult Club."

Kaga holds his breath, not willing to breathe the same air of this living corpse. He got her into this mess and he needs to suffer a little longer to get her out.

"True," he admits, at least it is partially wrong. "Your friends don't need to take everyone here."

"We won't spare them," it threatens.

"Because Occult Club is capable of banishing you," Kaga rips the book from Oka, smacking it against the arms next to him. "But I want them, among others, safe."

Oka's body returns to its neutral doll posture, standing and not emoting. The demon spats quickly, "If you banish me you won't get what you want."

"How about another deal then?" Kaga casually opens the book the table of contents, ignoring how fast his heart is beating. "Amnesty for some of my friends and I'll get you what you're searching for."

This time there's a twitch in her fingers and the demonic arms sink back into the void.

"I did my research," he slowly flickers through the pages to the chapter he dog-ear bookmarked, "I know exactly who you are, well actually," he forces his shoulders to lose the tension as he shrugs and backtracks, preparing for the worse, "the files never listed your name, Subject Nine."

The circle of arms spring up like daisies and slam down, cracking the floor. Kaga fortunately jumped away but that didn't save him from the grating voice.

 _"THAT IS_ **NOT _MY NAME!_** _"_

"I would love to know that actually!" Kaga had to give it a shot but no. He back steps again as Oka floats towards him. "Alright but hey, I do know where your body's buried, specifically your arms." She stops advancing.

"You better. We have a deal, Kaga Kusha." She moves over to the door and it calls out, "If I had the forethought of this I would have my girl eat the fingers of your team, just for them to have a glimpse of the hell I went through."

They leave.

Kaga tries not to collapse as his knees wobble and he feverishly pants is way back to his little table. He really needs to read this chapter right now.

He spends over however long it takes to understand everything covered in the section titled _Burial Rites._

As a man of science, Kaga is very much aware of the line drawn into the sand; the point of no return where genius becomes crazy- no, unstable. Being aware of that line is what prevents him from being a true Kusha.

That is still his goal, nothing is changing that.

And he's willing to outsmart the hand feeding him (and risk any humanity he barely had left).

Kaga collected as many books from the remaining Occult Club and the help is gratefully appreciated.

 _Limitations of Demons_ provides the insight on how to weaponize a demon's infallible nature. Subject Nine is incomplete without its real arms, desperate to break Beyond Barriers to reclaim them and finally be put to rest. As for all the false arms and the freaky infinite amount of it, that could add into to the damnation factor for body horror.

 _Theorized Afterlife_ is all about dimensional transportations between life and death and their stable locations. It explains the common phrase of the Beyond Barriers that separates an active mind from their true corpse. Currently Subject Nine has Oka Ruto as a host but not as its preferred body since its arms has to be summoned from the dimensional barriers but must return to whence it came.

 _Deals: The Exchange of Power_ explains contracts, self-explanatory with the saying 'deal with the devil' more or less. There are two versions though. Oka's contract appears to be the case of power through possession with Subject Nine manipulating her body to be a mental and physical portal. But from the notes Kaga found on Subject Nine, born human and died… not quite human. This means it struck a deal with beings just like it. From the large amount of arms Subject Nine has amalgamated with, it appears that they have failed good few infinite times.

Kaga writes down all of this in a notebook, hopefully to figure out the last key components to get as many survivors out of this mess as possible.

Well, he does have one thing that could ensure safety.

He gathers his notes, _Protection Sigils_ (with a post-it note reading _for beginners_ ), and his lantern and sneaks out the door. Kaga walks down the dark hallways. No amount of tinkering can reactivate the emergency lights. Another book, either _The Summoning Guide_ or _Breeching Echoes_ had a very little explanation to why there's an EMP radius for visiting entities, something about the Beyond Barriers working overtime.

Once Kaga reached his destination, bracing himself for the angry person on the other side of the door, he had one hand ready with the key and the other holding the lantern.

Its white light turns pale green.

Ah.

Behind him is darkness and so Kaga dims his light and walks back to the crossroad of hallways. The green lantern is raised in one direction and then another until the green deepens and Kaga walks. This routine goes on for other two cross sections until Kaga sees the brighter green light of another Kusha made lantern.

Kaga's about to brighten his light back up until he takes a better look at the lantern holder walking into the same hallway.

That's not Midori.

His eyes lock onto Budo Masuda.

In a brief second Kaga planned the best way to out run Budo and trap him in another study but Budo won't stop looking at him, relief gracing his face.

"I had it up to here with this horror movie shit," Budo laughs as he approaches. His uniform is much more roughed up and torn than Kaga thought. His eyes though, they're exactly as he predicted, tired, scared, and hopeful. "You just had to add in walking alone in dark corridors."

"Eh, you get used to it," Kaga turned off his lantern and when Budo shared his light with him, Kaga gave the most crushing hug he can give. "It's good to see you, Budo."

The tension in his shoulders loosened and he hugged Kaga back, ruffling up his hair too. "Kaga, I have half a mind to scream at you."

The hand in his hair tightened. Kaga tried to twitch his head away. Nope. Not happening.

Hesitantly, Kaga asked, "But?"

"But, that's right. I also want to kick your ass."

Budo lets go and flicked Kaga's nose, hard.

So, this is the beginning of his punishment. "Fair," Kaga admits, clicking his tongue. "Midori sent you here. Good."

"Good? Uh yeah," Budo blissfully confused. Kaga can work with this. He hooks their elbows together and leads Budo down the hall in a brisk pace. "She also gave us the Spark Notes of your plan."

"Us?" Notable, Budo snapped his teeth shut with silent regret. "Well, if she had to gain your trust and it wouldn't be too consequential." That last part was more muttered but Budo still shook his head, unimpressed by his precarious contingency planning nature. "The important part is that you're here."

He feels Budo's eyes on him, as if to read his mind, something that Kaga's honestly afraid of. For a brief second, he falls out of step with Kaga but a surprisingly sharp tug brings Budo back into pace. "About this plan of yours, I get that breaking reality and world domination is kind of your thing but if I'm really your friend then I want to know what's truly going on."

It's on the tip of his tongue to correct him. Budo's one of his best friends, without any creator-creation dynamic or blackmailing involved.

Kaga smiled at Budo, "You wouldn't call me a friend anymore." He knows Budo. He knows he'll lose him in a different way he'll lose Oka and it'll hurt more, just by a bit. No demon to blame, just him.

Budo stays quiet. Ah, yes, judgmental silence. He hears that enough from Midori and his blackmailed friends.

Finally, Budo said, "I want to trust you. At first I really did trust you but you couldn't even try to promise me no more deaths."

Budo's lying, he must be lying because no one could ever look at Kaga with that much trust or hope in their eyes. And yet Budo there, staring at him with the last sliver of… _something_ hanging on to their bond. Kaga knows Budo, of his compassion and strength, and he knows he doesn't deserve any of it.

Budo's too good for him.

"I was honest to you," he replied back, knowing it won't be enough.

He needs Budo to be good.

"You tell half-truths," Budo snaps, gritting his teeth. He stops them from walking. The lantern held underneath their chins casted shadows over their eyes. Budo's half illuminated face reminded Kaga of the first time he talked to Subject Nine. "Kaga, you're the one that caused this disaster. I've seen my friends and other students get beaten up and dragged away." There's a slight tremor in his voice that eventually cracks, "Are they dead, Kaga? Can you, the mastermind of this whole damn thing, answer me that?"

He needs Budo to stay good.

The only way for that to work is to get Budo away from him.

"I can tell who'll live," Kaga decides, swallowing down the stress to say what needs to be said. "I made sure that you and the rest of the presidents will survive this."

There it is, that glimmer of that something slowly breaking inside Budo. Color is draining from his battered face and for once, Kaga is happy that Budo's really is smarter than he gave credit for.

This hurts, there's an ache in his lungs, crawling up his throat as Budo takes a step away from him.

"You calculated this," Budo says, more to himself to make it real, "I can't believe, you, you determined who lives and who dies, tossing our classmates to _demons!_ " His breathing quickens and it takes all of Kaga's effort to not reach over to comfort him. Panic snaps into anger and as scary as Budo's glare is, Kaga knows that Budo would never throw the first punch. "Am I just another experiment of yours?"

No, Kaga wants to plead.

"Yes," Kaga said with a small waver in his voice but he stands as steady as possible. If he just acts like an emotionless, delusional mad scientist… if he acts like the rest of his family… then Budo's hope in him will truly be dead.

He can't even make himself look at Budo's eyes, the only flaw in Kaga's performance as he stares instead at the tears whelming up at the edges his eyes. Budo is shaking, that's all Kaga is able to tell as he lets Budo's image become unfocused.

Finally Budo takes a step back, and then another and another, taking the lantern with him, and then he ran. Kaga could faintly hear sniffle. That could be Budo or it could be himself.

There's no time for that. Kaga forces himself to regain his composure and turn back on his own lantern. Its white light hurts his eyes for a bit and Kaga walks down the hallways, back to the door he was originally going to unlock.

Entering the garage unit with his guard down and still emotionally drained is a terrible idea because he's instantly punched in the face.

Ah yes, he almost forgot about her, his only human ally left.

As she promised, Info-chan will punch Kaga whenever she deems fit.

Info stands proudly above as Kaga's busy recoils and holds his right cheek.

"It's about time you got here," she said and walks over to their current project, rebuilding and reinforcing the MEKA units. "You've kept us waiting."

Us. That is never a good thing.

Casually sitting by the giant tool box is Ayano Aishi, holding up a wrench and testing its weight, "Hey loser." Ayano makes the practiced motion of swinging the heavy wrench like a bat. "Time to kills some demons."

* * *

 _God, I love how I wrote Budo and Kaga. I'm giving them so much angst._

 _Thanks for reading!_


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